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Oil Prices, Greece Pressure Dow Jones Industrial Average

A health care worker in Scotland has been diagnosed with Ebola

Dec 30, 2014 at 8:20 AM
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The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:DJI) is threatening to extend its losing streak to a second session, with futures pointed lower ahead of the bell. Weighing on the blue-chip index are concerns over crude prices, which landed at a five-year low yesterday. Also, plenty of traders are nervously watching Greece, as the nation heads toward a Jan. 25 snap presidential election after parliament failed to elect a president on Monday. Stateside, Wall Street is awaiting a pair of reports this morning -- the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index and the Conference Board's consumer confidence index.

And now, on to the numbers...

Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P and Nasdaq futures

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) are roughly 20 points below fair value.

Market Statistics

The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 715,893 call contracts traded on Monday, compared to 460,147 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio jumped to 0.64, while the 21-day moving average edged up to 0.65.

NYSE and Nasdaq summary

Volatility indices

Currencies and Commodities

  • The U.S. dollar index is down 0.2% at 90.00.
  • Crude oil has slipped 0.7% at $53.23 per barrel.
  • Gold has popped 0.3% at $1,185.90 per ounce.
Currencies and commodities

Earnings and Economic Data

The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index and the consumer confidence report are slated for release today. The earnings calendar is bare.

Overseas Trading

Asian benchmarks dropped amid ongoing losses for energy and uncertainty surrounding Greece's presidential election. Japan's Nikkei -- which is closed from now until Jan. 5 -- gave back 1.6% as a number of large-cap stocks tumbled, but still closed the year with a 7.1% gain. Hong Kong's Hang Seng and South Korea's Kospi lost 1.1% and 0.6%, respectively. Meanwhile, China's Shanghai Composite ended fractionally lower, with state media reporting the country's largest oil field will reduce production next year due to sagging crude prices.

Stocks in Europe are in the red around midday, with energy stocks leading the way south. Also spooking traders is news that a health care worker in Scotland was diagnosed with Ebola, while a second is being tested for the deadly virus. At last check, London's FTSE 100 has shed 0.9%, France's CAC 40 is off 0.8%, and Germany's DAX has lost 0.7%.

Overseas markets

Unusual Put and Call Activity:

For an explanation of how to use this information, check out our Education Center topics on Option Volume and Open Interest Configurations.

Unusual options activity - puts

Unusual options activity - calls

 

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