Despite a Commerce Department report that showed new home sales reached a two-year high in May, stocks are decidedly lower this midday, faltering on the growing pessimism surrounding the financially struggling euro zone. So far today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 12,475.11) has lopped off 165.7 points, or 1.3%. Elsewhere, the CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX - 20.83) has surged back atop the 21 level, jumping 3.1 points, or 17.2%.

Here are a few noteworthy stats at midday:

1. The equity put/call volume ratio across all nine options exchanges rests at 1.06, with 2.01 million calls changing hands so far today, compared to 2.15 million puts.
   
   
2. Among the equities with heavy put activity is CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:CI - 44.56), which has slipped roughly 1.3% at last check. Today, the health insurance provider named Joan Kennedy Vice President for Consumer Health Engagement. Puts currently account for more than 99% of CI's intraday option volume.
   
   
3. The put/call volume ratio on the iPath S&P 500 VIX Short Term Futures TM ETN (NYSEARCA:VXX - 17.29) stands at 0.55, with calls easily outnumbering puts.
   
   
4. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) shows an advance/decline ratio of 0.21, pointing to an abundance of downward movers as compared to upward-moving equities.
   
   
5. Among the NYSE's major decliners is Kirby Corporation (NYSE:KEX - 45.58), which has plummeted roughly 11% in intraday action. The tank barge operator took a nosedive after slashing its second-quarter and full-year earnings outlook.
   
   



permalink