Stock Market Today, April 2: Nokia Rises on Surge in Bullish Options Activity

By Eric Trie – Apr 2, 2026 at 6:34PM ESTExpandNYSE: NOKNokiaToday's Change(6.65%) $0.55Current Price$8.82Key Data PointsMarket Cap$46BDay's Range$8.07 - $8.8252wk Range$4.00 - $8.84Volume7MAvg Vol46MGross Margin42.53%Dividend Yield1.95%Nokia (NOK +6.65%), provider of global network solutions, closed Thursday at $8.82, up 6.65%. The stock moved higher as traders increased bullish options activity in the regular session.The company’s trading volume reached 88.7 million shares, which is about 91% above compared with its three-month average of 46.5 million shares. Nokia went public in 1994 and has grown 569% since its IPO.How the markets moved todayThe S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.11%) inched up 0.09% to finish Thursday at 6,582.69, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +0.18%) added 0.18% to close at 21,879.18. In telecommunications equipment, industry peers Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ) (ERIC +3.02%) closed at $11.62, up 2.98%, and Cisco Systems (CSCO +1.95%) ended at $79.02, rising 1.95% as investors weighed 5G and networking demand.What this means for investorsNokia shares rose as call option volume jumped to more than 58,000 contracts, about 27% above typical levels, pointing to a clear pickup in bullish positioning during the session. This surge reflects strong short-term interest, though options activity alone does not affect the company’s fundamentals.This momentum coincides with Nokia’s ongoing restructuring, which involves cutting approximately 4,000 jobs to improve margins and expanding optical networking through the Infinera acquisition to meet growing AI and 5G data traffic. While these actions have renewed investor interest, the main question is whether they will lead to increased orders from telecom operators. Investors will be watching upcoming results for signs that demand for optical equipment linked to AI data traffic and new 5G contract wins is driving higher network sales, rather than being offset by restructuring and cost pressures.Read NextMar 24, 2026 •By Eric TrieStock Market Today, March 24: Nokia Rises on 5G Momentum and North American Telecom SpendingMar 21, 2026 •By James BrumleyThe Ultimate Growth Stock to Buy With $1,000 Right NowMar 10, 2026 •By Emma NewberyStock Market Today, March 10: Nokia Dips as Jefferies Opens Large PositionApr 2, 2026 •By Keithen DruryNvidia's Blackwell and Rubin Chips Will Have $1 Trillion in Lifetime Sales.

What Does That Mean for Nvidia's Stock?Apr 2, 2026 •By Keithen DruryGot $1,000? 3 Unstoppable Tech Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever.Apr 2, 2026 •By Johnny RiceWhere Will CoreWeave Stock Be in 1 Year?About the AuthorEric Trie is a Motley Fool contributing stock analyst covering technology and semiconductors, healthcare, financial services, and consumer sectors. Previously, he worked in investment analysis and financial writing. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Rutgers University. Eric lives in New York City and is an avid sports fan.CMFIdeaMachineStocks MentionedNokiaNYSE: NOK$8.82(+6.65%)+$0.55Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (publ)NASDAQ: ERIC$11.63(+3.02%)+$0.34Cisco SystemsNASDAQ: CSCO$79.02(+1.95%)+$1.51*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.