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The Dow, Nasdaq, and SPX are all on pace for strong weekly showings
Still benefiting from the news out of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fought off an early foray into the red to rally north of the 18,000 mark for the first time this month. With the SPX 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (COMP) also both boasting gains on the day, all three indexes are prepared to finish the week solidly higher. Not to be left behind, crude and gold were each sharply in the black at last glance.
Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:
- Analysts weighed in on General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) after its $1 billion announcement.
- After slashing first-quarter forecasts, Citrix Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTXS) got buried by downbeat analyst attention, and is now in the red on the year.
- Plus ... Checking in on CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.
Among the stocks with notable call activity is Nokia Corporation (ADR) (NYSE:NOK), with the contracts crossing at 31 times normal intraday volumes, and accounting for eight of NOK's 10 most active options. The most active contract is the April 8 call, which speculators may be buying to open. With a 3.6% lead amid speculation the firm could possibly put its map division up for sale, the shares were trading a notch above the strike, at $8.01.
For more midday statistics and stocks on the move, head to page 2.
A 39.8% increase is easily enough to make PostRock Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:PSTR) the top gainer on the Nasdaq today. The stock's jump to $6.18 stems from the company's announcement on Tuesday that its directors would be purchasing shares. Today's surge puts PSTR 71.7% above its year-to-date breakeven level.
Tilly's Inc (NYSE:TLYS) is one of the biggest losers on the Big Board today, dropping 7.9% to trade at $15.06, due to a downgrade to "neutral" from "buy" at B. Riley. The equity may have been ready for a breather even without the downgrade. After adding 68.7% year-to-date coming into today, TLYS' 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) was docked at 66 -- approaching overbought territory.
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is down 0.4 point, or 2.7%, at 12.74, as it continues its recent downtrend.
Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 1.97, meaning puts are nearly doubling calls. SPY was last seen 0.7 point, or 0.3%, higher at $209.60.