Top Stock Movers Oct 28, 2026: Why KPTI, FTFT, PODC Surged
The biggest stock gainers at the Oct 28, 2026 close: KPTI, FTFT, PODC, CHSN and AXGN. Here is why each one moved and what the charts show.
KPTI — Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (+73.4%)
Karyopharm surged 73.4% to close at $0.83 on 32.6 million shares. That is roughly ten times its 20-day average of about 3.4 million. The market cap is only $10.7M, so this is a micro-cap.
No news, filing or announcement clearly explains the move. A headline from October 27 said the company scheduled results for November 2, and recent 8-Ks were routine. The jump looks momentum- or technically-driven, possibly helped by short covering.
The squeeze setup is notable. The squeeze score is 87/100, short interest is 9.8 million shares, and days to cover is 9.3. (Days to cover is how many days of average volume it would take shorts to buy back their positions.) Short-volume was 72%, and free float is 98.0%, so this is not a low-float story.
The longer-term picture is weak. The stock is 92.4% below its 52-week high. The moving-average stack is bearish, RS rating is 7, conviction is 40/100 (grade D), and the smart-money score is 17/100. A one-day spike in a stock this beaten down can reverse quickly.
FTFT — Future FinTech Group Inc. (+52.7%)
Future FinTech jumped 52.7% to $2.84 on 117.2 million shares, about 20 times its 20-day average of 5.9 million. It opened with a +2.4% gap, and the day's candle was a bullish belt hold, which opens near the low and climbs through the session. Market cap is $59.2M.
No news, filing or announcement explains the move. The only recent filings are proxy statements (a DEF 14A on October 19 and a PRE 14A on October 8). The move looks momentum-driven.
Squeeze pressure is not the driver. The squeeze score is 20/100, short interest is just 193,133 shares, and days to cover is 0.1. The largest disclosed stake is 32.5%, and free float is 56.9%.
The stock is still 97.5% below its 52-week high. The moving-average stack is bearish, RSI is 50, RS rating is 4, and conviction is 40/100 (grade D). Huge volume on no news is a classic setup for fast reversals.
PODC — PodcastOne, Inc. (+35.0%)
PodcastOne rose 35.0% to $2.43 on 6.4 million shares, versus a 20-day average of about 386,000. It gapped up 7.2% and closed on a bullish belt hold candle. Market cap is $55.2M.
The catalyst looks like strategic interest. On October 28, Investing.com reported that PodcastOne received acquisition interest from multiple parties. Yahoo Finance reported that the board formed a special committee and intends to retain a financial advisor after inbound strategic interest. On October 27, Galloway Capital sent the company a letter, and a Schedule 13D/A was filed.
Float is tight: free float is 20.0% and the largest disclosed stake is 68.8%. (Float is the share count actually available to trade.) The squeeze score is 27/100, with 85,906 shares short and 0.8 days to cover. Director Jonathan Merriman made four open-market buys between August 14 and September 18, from $16K to $54K each.
Technically, RSI is 63, ADX is 37, the MA stack is mixed, and the stock is 53.3% below its 52-week high. RS rating is 54, trend-template score is 3, and conviction is 24/100 (grade D). Interest from buyers is not a deal, and a process can end without one.
CHSN — Chanson International Holding (+34.3%)
Chanson International closed up 34.3% at $1.45 on 24.3 million shares, versus a 20-day average of about 1.3 million. It gapped up 40.7% at the open. Market cap is $42.1M.
The most likely catalyst is shareholder approval of a 1-for-100 share consolidation (a reverse split). Shareholders approved it at an October 26 extraordinary meeting, according to rallies.ai. The consolidation takes effect 10 clear days after the reorganization, or later with Nasdaq approval. Finviz attributed the move to the approval. No company release or 8-K confirming the effective date was found, and the final move size could not be independently verified. A separate 1-for-100 split took place in May 2026.
Reverse splits cut the share count and raise the price per share without changing a company's value. They often precede volatile trading. A short-sale restriction (SSR) was active, which limits short selling on a stock that has fallen sharply. The squeeze score is 25/100, with 140,277 shares short and 1.8 days to cover.
RSI is 73, the MA stack is mixed, and the stock is 99.6% below its 52-week high. RS rating is 10 and conviction is 13/100 (grade D). Treat this as a high-risk, event-driven spike.
AXGN — Axogen, Inc. (+31.4%)
Axogen surged 31.4% to $49.21 on 10.5 million shares, about five times its 20-day average of 2.0 million. It gapped up 21.3%. Market cap is $2.0B, so this is a far larger company than the others on today's list.
The catalyst was third-quarter earnings, released October 28. Adjusted EPS of $0.21 beat the $0.13 consensus, and revenue of $75.8 million topped the $73.16 million estimate (Investing.com). Axogen raised its 2026 revenue outlook to at least $290 million, growth of at least 29%. That includes at least $7 million from BioCircuit, which closed on October 1. Mizuho raised its price target to $65.
This is the strongest chart of the five. The MA stack is bullish, RSI is 74, ADX is 27, and the stock is just 7.0% below its 52-week high. RS rating is 97, technical rank is 91, and trend-template score is 8. The squeeze score is 46/100, with 3.8 million shares short and 4.2 days to cover. Smart-money score is 27/100, and the conviction score is 8/100 (grade D).
After a 31% gap-driven jump, RSI is already elevated. Post-earnings moves can fade. For more on managing that risk, see our swing trader's framework for holding through earnings.
The bottom line
Today's gainers had very different drivers: a short-squeeze-style spike with no news (KPTI), a volume surge with no explanation (FTFT), takeover interest (PODC), a reverse-split approval (CHSN) and an earnings beat (AXGN). Big one-day gainers, especially micro-caps, often give back much of the move. Patterns and squeezes fail, so size positions carefully, use defined risk and do your own research. This is educational content, not financial advice.
StockSetups scans the full US universe after every close and every premarket morning. You can compare today's list with yesterday's top movers.
Frequently asked questions
Why is AXGN up today?
Axogen reported Q3 2026 results on October 28 with adjusted EPS of $0.21 versus a $0.13 consensus and revenue of $75.8 million versus $73.16 million. It also raised its 2026 revenue outlook to at least $290 million. The stock closed up 31.4% at $49.21.
Why is PODC up today?
PodcastOne reported inbound acquisition interest from multiple parties, and its board formed a special committee and plans to retain a financial advisor. The stock closed up 35.0%.
Why did CHSN surge?
The most likely catalyst is shareholder approval of a 1-for-100 share consolidation (reverse split) at an October 26 meeting. The effective date had not been confirmed by a company filing.
What is a short squeeze?
A short squeeze happens when traders who bet against a stock are forced to buy it back as the price rises, which can push the price up further. Heavy short interest and high days to cover raise the odds. Squeezes often reverse quickly.
Produced with AI assistance and published under the StockSetups editorial guidelines.
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