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Ever on the lookout for signs of economic vitality, investors had, at least temporarily, clung to hope that the rental car kingpin was riding a wave of renewed optimism. The second quarter had seen Avis leap through some hoops—probably on fire—buoyed by vague notions of a trade détente and a hope that the global economy might, just maybe, not be secretly contemplating its own demise. The market had also taken note of billionaire Bill Ackman’s strategic dalliance with Hertz (a company whose financial future resembles a particularly half-hearted miracle), which may—or may not—have turbocharged interest in the rental car sector. But alas, the numbers, much like a British weather forecast—nebulous, unpredictable, slightly disappointing—failed to sustain the euphoria.

Because, let’s face it, this ride isn’t just about what they say—it’s about what flares up from the smoldering ashes of hype, driven by the obsession with chaos, quantum leaps into future tech, and the relentless greed of those silicon vultures circling the carcass of innovation.

At 12:27 p.m. ET, the stock danced 12.6% higher. A number, like a smile, can be misleading. It may last until the next earnings call. It may not. So it goes.

Today, I find myself staring at my Peloton Interactive (PTON) stock chart like it’s the last slice of cake in the fridge—tempting but slightly guilt-inducing. Shares soared 14.6% by mid-morning after some analyst over at UBS decided to upgrade it to a “buy.” An $11 price target? That’s practically double where the stock closed yesterday. Either this is genius-level investing or we’re all about to fall off a very expensive stationary bike.

If management is to be believed—and belief, in the markets, is less a virtue than a vice—they have furnished the world with an augury of 12% revenue growth and a portly 20% lift in adjusted EPS for 2025. This is all one could desire, save perhaps for the explanation of how cyclical gravity has momentarily been suspended. The shares, undaunted by pesky realities, ascended to record highs with all the decorum of a champagne cork at a bachelor’s table.

What sent this stock charging forward? According to the financial grapevine, it all started with an analyst note from Wedbush’s Dan Ives—a man whose name now feels as familiar to me as my own reflection in the mirror after too many late-night trading binges. He raised his price target on FUBO to $6, citing “encouraging” preliminary results and calling management’s guidance “conservative.” Encouraging? Conservative? These are words I cling to when trying not to panic about volatile streaming stocks.