Stock Market Today, March 18: Plug Power's Rally Stalls Slightly

Source The Motley Fool

Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) developer of hydrogen fuel cell systems for electric equipment and vehicles, closed Wednesday at $2.32, down 0.43%. The stock slipped alongside sector peers.

Trading volume reached 84.1 million shares, coming in 15% below its three-month average of 96.8 million shares. Plug Power IPO'd in 1999 and soared in the first few months of trading. It has fallen 99% since going public.

How the markets moved today

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) fell 1.36% to 6,625, while the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) lost 1.46% to finish at 22,152. Among other hydrogen stocks, Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) closed down 2.17% at $156.58 and Ballard Power Systems (NASDAQ:BLDP) fell 2.61% to end at $2.61.

What this means for investors

Today’s slight decline may be just a blip on Plug Power’s 25-year outlook. The company seems to be starting to turn things around. It has a new CEO in Jose Luis Crespo, and the stock has gained 24.73% in the past month. Its Q4 earnings beat analyst estimates.

However, in addition to potential liquidity challenges further down the road, Plug Power may face some legal issues. Several securities class action lawsuits have been filed against the firm, alleging it misrepresented activities related to a $1.66 billion Department of Energy loan. The lawsuits are not new, but a slew of legal press releases today and yesterday may have impacted the stock.

Investors who see opportunities in the new leadership and strategic shifts will be watching to see how these cases impact Plug Power’s recovery narrative.

Should you buy stock in Plug Power right now?

Before you buy stock in Plug Power, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Plug Power wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $508,877!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,115,328!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 936% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 189% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of March 18, 2026.

Emma Newbery has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bloom Energy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Natural Gas sinks to pivotal level as China’s demand slumpsNatural Gas price (XNG/USD) edges lower and sinks to $2.56 on Monday, extending its losing streak for the fifth day in a row. The move comes on the back of China cutting its Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) imports after prices rose above $3.0 in June. It
Author  FXStreet
Jul 01, 2024
Natural Gas price (XNG/USD) edges lower and sinks to $2.56 on Monday, extending its losing streak for the fifth day in a row. The move comes on the back of China cutting its Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) imports after prices rose above $3.0 in June. It
placeholder
The dollar weakened, equities dipped, and gold hit record highsThe dollar weakened, equities fell, and gold set new records on Wednesday as investors waited for a Fed rate cut later in the day.
Author  Cryptopolitan
Sep 17, 2025
The dollar weakened, equities fell, and gold set new records on Wednesday as investors waited for a Fed rate cut later in the day.
placeholder
ECB Policy Outlook for 2026: What It Could Mean for the Euro’s Next MoveWith the ECB likely holding rates steady at 2.15% and the Fed potentially extending cuts into 2026, EUR/USD may test 1.20 if Eurozone growth proves resilient, but weaker growth and an ECB pivot could pull the pair back toward 1.13 and potentially 1.10.
Author  Mitrade
Dec 26, 2025
With the ECB likely holding rates steady at 2.15% and the Fed potentially extending cuts into 2026, EUR/USD may test 1.20 if Eurozone growth proves resilient, but weaker growth and an ECB pivot could pull the pair back toward 1.13 and potentially 1.10.
placeholder
Gold rises on Middle East tensions; inflation fears temper rate cut bets and cap gainsGold (XAU/USD) edges higher during the Asian session on Tuesday, though it lacks follow-through and remains close to an over three-week low, touched the previous day.
Author  FXStreet
Mar 17, Tue
Gold (XAU/USD) edges higher during the Asian session on Tuesday, though it lacks follow-through and remains close to an over three-week low, touched the previous day.
placeholder
Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD consolidates above $79.00; bearish bias intact ahead of FedSilver (XAG/USD) lacks a firm intraday direction and oscillates in a narrow range during the Asian session on Wednesday as traders opt to wait on the sidelines ahead of the crucial FOMC rate decision.
Author  FXStreet
22 hours ago
Silver (XAG/USD) lacks a firm intraday direction and oscillates in a narrow range during the Asian session on Wednesday as traders opt to wait on the sidelines ahead of the crucial FOMC rate decision.
goTop
quote