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JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) is leading the Dow lower
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:DJI) is sharply lower at midday, putting the benchmark on track for a fourth straight losing session. Among the factors pressuring U.S. equities are a downwardly revised international growth forecast from the World Bank and a sharper-than-expected drop in retail sales last month. At last check, the Dow was staring at a 213-point, or 1.2%, deficit -- paced by a 4.5% post-earnings loss for blue-chip component JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM). Meanwhile, traders are looking ahead to the Fed's Beige Book, due out at 2 p.m. ET.
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Among the stocks with notable put volume is Freeport-McMoRan Inc (NYSE:FCX), which has tumbled 11% to trade at $18.72, following the sobering World Bank growth forecast and amid falling copper prices. Earlier, in fact, the shares touched a five-year low of $18.45, and were placed on the short-sale restricted list. FCX puts are crossing at eight times the average intraday rate, and the February 18 put is the equity's most active strike at midday.
For more midday statistics and stocks on the move, head to page 2.
Electric automaker Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is among the biggest losers on the Nasdaq. The stock is down 5.8% to trade at $192.45, following disappointing comments from CEO Elon Musk regarding sales in China. Since hitting a record high of $291.42 in early September, TSLA has shed more than one-third of its value.
Video game peddler GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME) has added 11.7% to trade at $36.60, making it the biggest advancer on the Big Board. Sparking the rally is last night's news of strong holiday video game sales, and an upgrade to "outperform" from "underperform" at Pacific Crest. However, BMO, Janney, and Benchmark each cut their price targets on GME. Longer term, the shares are now sitting just below breakeven on a year-over-year basis.
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 1.6 points, or 7.7%, at 22.14, putting the market's "fear gauge" on pace for a fourth consecutive daily gain.
Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 2.18, with puts more than doubling calls. At last check, SPY is down 2.2 points, or 1.1%, at $199.84.