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OKLO

Why Investors Were so Energized About Oklo Stock This Week

April 16, 2026 — 10:22 pm EDT

Written by

Eric Volkman for

The Motley Fool->

Key Points

- Early in the week, the White House advanced its goal to strengthen this country's presence in space.

- Part of this is an ambition to put nuclear power plants in orbit and on the Moon.

- 10 stocks we like better than Oklo ›

For a pre-revenue company, modular nuclear reactor (MNR) specialist Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) has been quite the star on the stock market lately. It felt like someone threw the switch on it and other nuclear stocks on Tuesday, when the White House pushed ahead with an initiative centered around that form of energy generation.

As of Thursday night, according to data compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence, Oklo's shares were up nearly 28% week to date.

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Power in space

The White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a memorandum formally establishing a government entity to deploy nuclear reactors in orbit around the Earth and on the surface of the Moon -- the National Initiative for American Space Nuclear Power.

Image source: Getty Images.

In the document, the OSTP outlined the roles of federal agencies in this goal, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Department of Defense.

This is the latest in the Trump administration's efforts to attain the lofty (not to mention expensive) aim of having nuclear generating capability in the ether. It was originally launched in December, 2025 with an executive order issued by the president that directed a significant expansion of America's presence in space.

Top-level validation

One item on what's essentially a wish list in the executive order is "enabling near-term utilization of space nuclear power by deploying nuclear reactors on the Moon and in orbit, including a lunar surface reactor ready for launch by 2030."

Yes, that's an awfully ambitious goal. But even if this country doesn't come close to hitting that timetable or securing the financing for the try, Oklo's technology is a good bet to be part of it. Just the fact that the company is squarely on the federal government's radar is good for its reputation, not to mention its business prospects in the coming years.

Should you buy stock in Oklo right now?

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Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.