Nuclear-power startup Oklo (OKLO) along with S&P 500 nuclear giants Constellation Energy (CEG) and Vistra (VST) soared at the stock market open on reports that President Donald Trump will sign executive orders Friday to ease regulatory requirements on approvals for new nuclear reactors and enhance fuel supply chains.
Trump is expected to sign the executive orders to support the nuclear energy sector by Friday afternoon, according to a Reuters reports late Thursday. The Trump White House has been debating four draft executive orders to give the administration more power to approve reactors and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or the NRC, which is in charge of approving reactors.
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed Friday that Trump will sign the executive orders.
Based on a draft summary of the executive orders reviewed by Reuters, Trump will invoke the Cold War-era Defense Production Act to declare a national emergency over U.S. dependence on Russia and China for enriched uranium, nuclear fuel processing and advanced reactor inputs.
The summary also directs agencies to permit and site new nuclear facilities and directs the Departments of Energy and Defense to identify federal lands and facilities for nuclear deployment and to streamline processes to get them built, Reuters reports.
“The Trump Administration continues to go all in on AI which will significantly increase the need for computing power expected to skyrocket over the next 5-10 years which takes up a tremendous amount of energy,” Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives wrote early Friday about the expected Trump executive orders.
Trump announced earlier this year that Sam Altman’s OpenAI, along with SoftBank and Oracle (ORCL), are planning a joint venture called Stargate. The plan is to build data centers and other AI infrastructure in the U.S., with investments of up to $500 billion.
Nuclear-related stocks broadly soared at the opening bell for Friday’s stock market action.
Trump Effect On Oklo, Nuclear Stocks
Oklo, the nuclear-power startup looking to bring its first commercial small modular reactor, or SMR, online in late 2027 or early 2028, spiked 25.6% to 49.90. S&P 500 components Constellation Energy and Vistra both advanced around 1%, but paring gains after both tested possible entries.
Oklo entered Friday’s stock market up around 67% in May. For the 2025 stock market, Oklo stock is up 87% of Thursday after entering this month’s market action trading basically flat on the year.
Ives on Friday raised his price target on Oklo to 55, from 45. That represents 38% upside compared to current trading levels.
S&P 500 nuclear stocks Constellation Energy and Vistra ran toward the top of the index in 2024 as investors flocked to artificial intelligence-adjacent plays. However, 2025 has been a different story, as uncertainty cuts through the market’s optimism on AI.
Earlier in May, Constellation Energy underperformed first-quarter profit expectations but kept its 2025 guidance steady. Meanwhile, S&P 500 nuclear utilities play Vistra reported a surprise first-quarter loss, but similar to Constellation, it also kept its 2025 guidance steady.
“The Trump Administration, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright has already signed some executive orders showing its commitment to nuclear energy but the E.O. that will be signed on Friday is expected to be a significant tailwind for the industry with OKLO being the one of the main beneficiaries as support from the U.S. Government has gained significant traction since the Trump Administration took over in the past few months,” Ives wrote Friday.
The Wedbush Securities analyst added that nuclear-related stocks NuScale Power (SMR), Lightbridge (LTBR), Centrus Energy (LEU), Energy Fuels (UUUU), Cameco (CCJ) and Uranium Energy (UEC) are “other beneficiaries of this executive order.”
Uranium Stocks Get Boost
Uranium miner Centrus Energy galloped 25% higher Friday morning adding to a 34% advance in May.
On May 8, Centrus Energy soared more than 20% after reporting better-than-expected first quarter profit and sales amid plans to capitalize on billions of federal dollars for domestic nuclear fuel production.
In 2023, The Department of Energy was given $3.4 billion to shore up domestic enriched uranium supply. This came amid concern around U.S. reliance on Russian enriched uranium after the invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. has relied on Russia for about 25% of fuel for its nuclear reactors.
Meanwhile, uranium refiner Cameco (CCJ) jumped 8.3% early Friday. Cathie Wood and her Ark Invest funds repeatedly purchased Cameco in early 2025.
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based Cameco is one of the world’s largest providers of uranium. Utilities around the globe rely on the company to provide nuclear fuel. The company also has direct exposure to SMR nuclear technology through its shared ownership of Westinghouse.
Uranium mining and exploration plays Uranium Energy stock and Energy Fuels stock soared 19.5% and 13%, respectively early Friday.
Source: Investor’s Business Daily
