Rocket Lab stock is taking a hit today. Why is RKLB stock falling?
What Does Nasdaq-100 Inclusion Mean for Rocket Lab?Rocket Lab officially joined the Nasdaq-100 during Monday’s session, a change that can force index-tracking funds and ETFs (including Invesco QQQ, which manages over $300 billion) to buy the stock.Rocket Lab was one of five additions to the Nasdaq-100 alongside Astera Labs, CoreWeave, Nebius Group and Teradyne, a reshuffle that can create one-time demand as passive vehicles rebalance.The move follows a rotation-heavy period for space-related names after SpaceX’s IPO on June 12. Rocket Lab and other space stocks sold off and have continued to see downside momentum as capital shifts toward the new listing.Rocket Lab Sets Record With VICTUS HAZERocket Lab launched the U.S. Space Force’s VICTUS HAZE mission late Monday, lifting off 16 hours and 42 minutes after receiving its official notice, which broke the previous record by more than 10 hours.The company managed all operational phases of the mission, providing an integrated service that encompassed spacecraft design, component fabrication, launch, and continuous 24/7 on-orbit mission management.Now fully commissioned, the deployed Pioneer spacecraft is executing orbital maneuvers. The vehicle is currently conducting Rendezvous and Proximity Operations to track a separate active satellite in low Earth orbit.Critical Levels For RKLB StockFrom a longer-term trend view, RKLB is still up 161.57% over the past 12 months and remains 17.3% above its 200-day SMA at $74.54, which keeps the bigger-picture structure constructive. The near-term damage is clearer: the stock is trading 23.6% below its 20-day SMA ($114.42) and 17.1% below its 50-day SMA ($105.46), signaling a sharp pullback from the recent run.Momentum is the main watch item: MACD is below its signal line and the histogram is negative, which points to upside pressure fading versus the prior upswing. In plain English, MACD compares faster and slower trend momentum, and sitting below the signal line often means rallies can stall until buyers regain control.
