Top Penny Stocks List This Week

penny stocks list

Today we're bringing readers our top penny stocks list for this week, including five stocks that posted gains as high as 77% last week.

Also on this week's list is a medical marijuana stock that we previously encouraged readers to buy - in a separate report - back on Nov. 3. This stock is a biopharmaceutical company whose cannabis-based drug candidate shows a lot of promise. In fact, that's one of the reasons the stock soared double digits last week...

As a reminder to readers, we never recommend the penny stocks included in this weekly series as strict "Buys." That's because every investor has different portfolio goals, and investing in penny stocks can be risky. This penny stocks list is simply the best-performing penny stocks by percentage gains this week.

Here's our top penny stocks list now, with gains up to 77%...

Top Penny Stocks List No. 1: Eleven Biotherapeutics Inc.

Eleven Biotherapeutics (Nasdaq: EBIO) is a preclinical-stage pharma company, with drug candidates that target diseases of the eye and blood disorders. EBIO shot up nearly 77% last week after the company announced its third-quarter earnings results on Nov. 9. The company reported a new phase 3 trial design for a drug candidate that's intended to increase blood-platelet levels. EBIO expects the trial to take place in the second quarter of 2017. EBIO is currently trading at $2.99 per share Monday intraday and is down 0.67% year to date (YTD).

Top Penny Stocks List No. 2: Osiris Therapeutics Inc.

Osiris (Nasdaq: OSIR) develops cellular and regenerative medicine, and targets its products at the orthopedic, wound, and sports medicine markets. OSIR rose 69% last week, but there appears to be no catalyst behind its rise. The stock is currently trading at $7.06 per share Monday intraday and is down 33% YTD.

Top Penny Stocks List No. 3: Immune Design Corp.

Immune Design (Nasdaq: IMDZ) is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company. It focuses on treating certain types of cancers with approaches that harness the body's own immune system. IMDZ rose 64% last week after it announced its earnings results on Nov. 9. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations, but still showed a loss of $12.5 million for the quarter. IMDZ is currently trading at $8.20 per share Monday intraday and is down 58% YTD.

Top Penny Stocks List No. 4: Hongli Clean Energy Technologies Corp.

Hongli (Nasdaq: CETC) produces clean energy products for China and owns four coal mines. CETC rose 46% last week, but there appears to be no catalyst behind its rise. This usually suggests that investors are speculating on the stock. CETC is currently trading at $3.51 per share Monday intraday and is down 21% YTD.

Continue reading to check out our last top penny stock this week. This penny stock is a company that has a stake in the marijuana industry, which gives a major clue behind its double-digit rise last week...

[mmpazkzone name="in-story" network="9794" site="307044" id="137008" type="4"]

Top Penny Stocks List No. 5: Cara Therapeutics Inc.

Cara Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CARA) is a clinical-stage pharma company that makes drugs to help with pain and inflammation. CARA rose 25% last week after the stock benefited from the big marijuana vote that happened on Election Day. You see, Cara's drug pipeline includes a cannabis-based drug called CR701, which is intended to reduce pain and inflammatory responses. As many as seven states legalized marijuana either medically or recreationally on Election Day, boosting Cara's potential drug market if CR701 gets FDA approval. Just before the election, we recommended readers pick up CARA before its double-digit rise. You can check out that story - and more about CARA - right here. CARA is currently trading at $9.17 as of Monday intraday and is down 45% YTD.

With the Nov. 8 election over, and 33 U.S. states now with some form of legalized marijuana, the marijuana industry offers huge profit potential for investors.

Other promising stocks like CARA are out there. In fact, Money Morning published a report about the top marijuana stocks to watch shortly after the Nov. 8 election. The report includes other stocks that soared after Election Day - just like CARA. Find out how you can get access to the report, right here...

Follow us on Twitter @moneymorning and like us on Facebook.