New York, February 7, 2026, 12:51 (EST) — The market is now closed.
- IonQ, Rigetti, D‑Wave, and Quantum Computing Inc bounced back Friday, each closing up between 15 and 21 percent. That comes right after sharp declines the previous day.
- Stocks snapped higher, with the Dow notching its first-ever move above 50,000 as Wall Street staged a sweeping rally.
- Next week, traders turn their focus to postponed U.S. jobs and inflation reports—plus IonQ’s Feb. 25 earnings, hot on the heels of a short-seller assault.
Quantum computing names snapped back hard Friday after a tough week, with IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D‑Wave Quantum each racking up double-digit gains to lead the rally.
This shift stands out—this slice of the market has turned into a fast proxy for risk-on mood. When investors jump into high-growth, long-duration tech, these stocks typically leap out ahead and rack up the biggest gains.
Investors are also contending with renewed questions about the way certain quantum companies recognize revenue tied to government contracts, all while major U.S. labor and inflation data are now slated for release in the coming week.
IonQ finished Friday up 15.0 percent at $34.99. Rigetti wasn’t far behind, surging 18.3 percent to close at $17.71. D‑Wave advanced 20.4 percent, ending the day at $20.72, while Quantum Computing Inc tacked on 20.7 percent to settle at $9.43, Investing.com data show. All four stocks had dropped around 13–14 percent in the previous session. (https://www.investing.com/equities/dmy-technology-group-iii-historical-data https://www.investing.com/equities/rigetti-computing-inc-historical-data https://www.investing.com/equities/dpcm-capital-historical-data 8 )
The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 2.47 percent to close at 50,115.67 on Friday, catching a wave higher as Nvidia jumped 7.9 percent. It capped a week that saw AI-related jitters weigh on a handful of software stocks. “What’s driven it recently has been the broadening that we have seen in the market … other than just the tech, AI trade,” Horizon Investment Services CEO Chuck Carlson said. 1
IonQ landed in the spotlight after Wolfpack Research, which disclosed a short position, released a Feb. 4 report claiming the company “lost its funding” for Pentagon contracts—contracts that, per Wolfpack, made up a significant chunk of IonQ’s revenue from 2022 through 2024. Short sellers, for the record, profit if a stock drops, typically by borrowing shares before selling them. 2
IonQ pushed back, calling the report “false, misleading, and unsubstantiated claims,” according to a statement quoted by Data Center Dynamics. 3
Quantum Computing Inc—long known for its volatile trading—said this week it wrapped up its purchase of Luminar Semiconductor, calling the move a step forward in building out its vertically integrated photonics and quantum platforms. 4
Rate bets aren’t going away. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly, speaking to Reuters, described the labor market as “walking a knife’s edge” and floated the idea that if things weaken, one or two cuts in 2026 could be on the table. Lower rates usually prop up growth stocks—they tend to boost the value investors assign to future earnings. 5
Still, the risks remain clear. These stocks are prone to sharp moves on scant liquidity or fresh headlines, and there’s not much patience for any hiccups in contract funding, cash flow, or traction with real customers. Any uptick in inflation data—or another drop in high-growth tech—could easily knock the sector lower again.
Plenty hits the calendar next week. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, updating its release dates after the recent government service lapse, now lists the U.S. Employment Situation report for January on Feb. 11, with January’s Consumer Price Index following on Feb. 13. 6
Traders are zeroed in on IonQ’s fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 numbers, due out Feb. 25 after the bell. They’re especially watching for any hints about federal contracts and how steady that government-driven revenue might be. 7
