NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 03:12 ET — Market closed
- Rigetti ended Friday down 8.7% at $22.38 and last traded at $22.44 in extended hours. [1]
- Quantum peers IonQ, D-Wave and Quantum Computing Inc. also fell between about 6% and 8% in the last session.
- Traders are bracing for thin year-end liquidity and Federal Reserve minutes due Tuesday as the next catalysts for risk appetite. [2]
Rigetti Computing shares slid 8.7% on Friday, retreating with other quantum-computing “pure plays” in holiday-thinned trading. The stock closed at $22.38 and was last at $22.44 in extended trading, MarketBeat data showed. [3]
The pullback matters now because small-cap, high-beta stocks — shares that tend to swing more than the broader market — can move sharply when volumes are light and year-end positioning kicks in. That dynamic can amplify sector-wide moves even without fresh company news. [4]
Investors are also looking ahead to the final trading days of 2025, when portfolio rebalancing and macro headlines can steer sentiment. Minutes from the Fed’s December policy meeting are due Tuesday, a readout markets will use to gauge how quickly rate cuts might come next year. [5]
Rigetti traded as low as $22.33 on Friday, with about 28.1 million shares changing hands, MarketBeat said. That volume was well below the stock’s average session volume, pointing to a choppy tape into year-end. [6]
The decline tracked losses across the quantum group. IonQ fell about 7.6% on Friday, D-Wave Quantum dropped about 8.1%, and Quantum Computing Inc. slid about 6.5%, based on end-of-session pricing.
Broader U.S. stocks ended a quiet, post-Christmas session little changed, with analysts pointing to profit-taking after a strong run. “We had a very strong five-day rally, so in a way we’re just simply catching our breath,” said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group. [7]
Market watchers also flagged the “Santa Claus rally” window — the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new one — when flows can turn idiosyncratic. Reuters noted that light volumes can exaggerate moves around this period. [8]
Some market commentary tied Friday’s retreat in quantum names to a reversal after a retail-driven push earlier in the week, a pattern that can show up when institutional desks are lighter over the holidays. Benzinga pointed to a “holiday gap” effect that can make momentum trades more pronounced in smaller stocks. [9]
Rigetti, based in Berkeley, California, builds superconducting quantum processors and sells access to quantum computers through its cloud platform and on-premises systems. The industry remains early-stage, with companies racing to boost qubit counts and reduce error rates before broader commercial use. [10]
The company’s latest quarterly report in November showed revenue of $1.9 million for the three months ended Sept. 30 and a non-GAAP loss of 3 cents per share, according to its results release. [11]
In that release, Chief Executive Subodh Kulkarni said Rigetti remained “on track to deliver” its 100+ qubit chiplet-based system with targeted gate fidelity “by the end of 2025.” With the calendar closing, investors have been sensitive to signals on whether those milestones land on schedule. [12]
Before the next session, traders will focus on whether the stock holds above Friday’s $22.33 low, a level that can act as “support” — a price area where buyers have previously stepped in. A break below that kind of level can draw more short-term selling, while a bounce can bring momentum buyers back. [13]
Macro tone will also matter. Reuters reported that the Fed minutes on Tuesday and year-end portfolio adjustments could add to volatility at a time when thinner trading can magnify price swings. [14]
Rigetti’s next earnings date is not confirmed; MarketBeat estimates the company will report around March 4 after the market closes, based on prior reporting patterns. Until then, investors will watch for any contract wins, partnership updates or technology progress that can shift expectations for commercialization in 2026. [15]
References
1. www.marketbeat.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.marketbeat.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.marketbeat.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.benzinga.com, 10. www.globenewswire.com, 11. www.globenewswire.com, 12. www.globenewswire.com, 13. www.marketbeat.com, 14. www.reuters.com, 15. www.marketbeat.com
