Key Highlights

  • Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) reports on Wednesday, October 28, 2026 after the close with an options-implied move of about 5.5%, after a media report that it offered voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees.
  • Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) reports on Thursday, October 29, 2026 with an options-implied move of about 13.9%, after it fell between 4.65% and 5.67% intraday on October 26 with its sector in published market data.
  • Eledon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ELDN) faces a short seller report dated October 23 claiming it is cash-strapped and likely to raise equity within 60 to 90 days, and these allegations are not confirmed.
  • DoorDash (NASDAQ:DASH) fell 6.10% on reported takeover talks with Instacart's parent, while Howard Hughes Holdings joins the S&P SmallCap 600 before the open on October 28, 2026 and rose 4.72% premarket.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT): Earnings and a Buyout Report

A media report on October 26, 2026 said that Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) offered voluntary buyouts to about 60,000 employees. The offer covers staff at Level 70 and below in Canada, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. Microsoft had not confirmed the report in the information available for this article, so the figure of 60,000, the eligibility rules and the payment terms remain unconfirmed. An earlier program in May offered between 8 and 39 weeks of pay, a range that may or may not apply to the new offer. A voluntary buyout invites employees to leave in exchange for a payment, which differs from layoffs, where the company chooses who goes. Companies often reduce headcount to protect profit margins when capital spending rises, and large technology firms have used buyouts as a gentler tool than layoffs. Microsoft and its peers are investing heavily in data centers and chips for artificial intelligence, which increases depreciation expense in coming years. Goldman Sachs estimates about USD 7.6 trillion of AI capital spending from 2026 to 2031.

Reddit (NYSE:RDDT): Results Due October 29

On Monday, October 26, 2026, the Communication Services sector fell 1.57%, the weakest group in the market even as the S&P 500 rose 0.70% and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.82%. Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) fell between 4.65% and 5.67% intraday, and the sector reached its lowest level since June 2025. AppLovin (NASDAQ:APP) traded at a 52-week low. T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:TMUS) did too. Technology rose 1.69% on the same day, led by chip and optical names, so money moved toward artificial intelligence hardware and away from advertising platforms and telecom, a rotation that can reverse quickly. The exact closing moves for Reddit were not available for this article, so the intraday range is shown. Reddit reports third-quarter results on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The options market implies a move of about 13.9% in either direction, which is among the larger figures in the week's calendar. An implied move reflects what traders pay for protection and is not a forecast of direction.

Eledon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ELDN): Short Seller Allegation

A short seller published a report on October 23, 2026, and its claims were still being discussed on October 26. According to the report, Eledon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ELDN) lacks enough cash to fund a 620-patient Phase 3 trial and will need to sell equity within 60 to 90 days. The report cites going-concern language and an at-the-market facility of USD 75 million. These are allegations. The company's response and its latest cash balance were not available for this article, and the claims were not independently checked. A reader should check the cash figure, the quarterly burn rate and the facility terms in the company's SEC filings. Cash runway is the number of months a company can operate before it needs funding, and it is the central test of the allegation. Going-concern language is a statement in a company's financial statements that management or auditors see substantial doubt about its ability to continue operating for at least twelve months without new funding. An at-the-market facility lets a company sell shares gradually into the open market through a broker, at prevailing prices, up to a stated amount.

DoorDash (NASDAQ:DASH): Reported Takeover Talk

On Monday, October 26, 2026, a media report said that DoorDash (NASDAQ:DASH) is in talks to acquire the company that operates the Instacart grocery delivery platform, and that a deal could be agreed this week. DoorDash shares fell 6.10%, and shares of Maplebear (NASDAQ:CART) rose 7.87%, in published market data. Neither company had confirmed the report when this article was written. The terms, including price per share, the form of payment and any premium, were not reported. Until the companies make an announcement or file a document with the SEC, the talks remain a report and not a fact, and talks of this kind often end without a deal. A denial, a delay or a change in structure are all possible outcomes. A target's shares rise because shareholders expect to be paid more than the current price. A buyer's shares often fall because it may pay a premium, issue shares or use cash, and because it takes on the task of combining two businesses.

Howard Hughes Holdings (NYSE:HHH): S&P SmallCap 600 Entry

On October 26, 2026, S&P Dow Jones Indices announced, as reported, that Howard Hughes Holdings (NYSE:HHH) will join the S&P SmallCap 600 before the open on Wednesday, October 28, replacing Arcosa. The shares rose 4.72% in premarket trading that day. An index inclusion means the company becomes part of a benchmark that thousands of passive funds track. Those funds must hold each constituent in proportion to its weight, so they buy shares on or before the effective date. The announcement gave investors a few sessions to position, which often leads to a price rise before the change takes effect and sometimes to a reversal afterward. Passive funds do not choose stocks on merit. The amount they buy depends on the company's weight in the index and on how many shares are available to trade, so a smaller free float can mean a larger price effect. Arcosa (NYSE:ACA) leaves the index in the swap, and funds will sell it. Real estate developers also react to housing data and credit conditions, and Howard Hughes Holdings (NYSE:HHH) reports on its own schedule, which was not available for this article.

Where Things Stand

The answer is that a mix of scheduled and unscheduled events puts five stocks in focus this week: earnings at Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Reddit, an allegation at Eledon Pharmaceuticals, deal talk at DoorDash and an index change at Howard Hughes Holdings. The dates are October 28 and 29, 2026, and several items remain unconfirmed. Next filings from Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) will add detail. Fresh disclosure from Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) is the next test. Official notices from Eledon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ELDN) remain the best guide. Further company updates from DoorDash (NASDAQ:DASH) are awaited. Reporting from Howard Hughes Holdings (NYSE:HHH) should clarify the picture. Further disclosure from Reddit (NYSE:RDDT) would clarify the picture. Official notices from Eledon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ELDN) remain the best guide.