Disney Magic, Airbnb Pop and Other Stocks to Watch Today

Dawn Allcot
Disney Sign
Disney Sign

The Dow and the S&P 500 started climbing after hours amidst optimistic news. An FDA advisory committee recommended emergency use authorization for the Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) and BioNTech (NASDAQ: BNTX) COVID-19 vaccine.

Before the announcement, the Dow closed 0.24% lower and the S&P had dipped by 0.13% for the day. Nasdaq, on the other hand, was up 0.54%, which has been typical for the tech-heavy composite of late.

Will the market continue its climb when it opens today?

See: IBM Reveals Cyber Criminals Targeting COVID Vaccine Supply Chain
Explore: Should You Invest in Vaccine Stocks Right Now?

Disney magic strikes.

“The Child,” aka Baby Yoda or Grogu, apparently does more than lift the spirits of Star Wars fans everywhere. Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) stock rose to an all-time high Thursday after the media giant announced 86.8 million subscribers on the Disney+ platform. New content for the streaming service in 2021 and beyond includes deeper dives into the Star Wars universe, Marvel Studios specials and series based on beloved Pixar characters. The stock continued to soar like the Millennium Falcon after hours.

No surprises here as Airbnb IPO pops.

The highly anticipated Airbnb IPO (NASDAQ: ABNB) did even better than many expected, closing the day at $144.71 after an IPO priced at $68 per share. The company now has a valuation of $100 billion. Since the company’s success hinges heavily on interstate travel and successfully reopening the U.S., yesterday’s COVID-19 vaccine approval news can only bode well for the online home rental company.

See: How To Budget and Plan for a Vacation in 2021
Explore: Rise in COVID-19 Delivers Another Hit to Struggling Travel Industry