Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures Dip After Retail Sales

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are set to roll back slightly, after the index and its sector peers closed yesterday with record highs. Despite the upbeat retail earnings reports rolling in, stocks are reacting to news that U.S. retail sales were flat for the month of July, defying expectations for a 0.4% rise. Meanwhile, the U.S. producer price index (PPI) unexpectedly dropped last month, marking the first decline since March. However, oil prices are extending their recent run higher, with September-dated futures up 0.6% at $43.74 per barrel. 

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

• The company one analyst isn't "sure will survive in its present form."
• The levels options traders are watching on Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) and Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR).
• Is more upside ahead for this bouncing financial stock? Options bulls think so.
• Plus... Asia stocks mimic the U.S., two retailers taking off, and one tech stock chasing an all-time high

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are 18.5 points below fair value.

5 Things You Need to Know Today
 

1. Asian stocks finished up, taking cues from U.S. markets and oil.
2. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 771,884 call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 470,446 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.61, while the 21-day moving average remained at 0.63.
3. J C Penney Company Inc (NYSE:JCP) is set to jump 2.9% after delivering the latest retail earnings beat, following yesterday's annual analyst meeting. The department store retailer reported smaller per-share losses than expected, and estimated full-year same-store sales growth above expectations. 
4. Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN) is also set to jump after earnings, trading up 10.1% in ahead of the open -- likely to the delight of recent option buyers. JWN credited its successful anniversary sale, as well as efforts to address expenses and bring down inventory, for its solid earnings and upwardly revised 2016 guidance. 
5. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is yet another post-earnings winner, set to open up 4% -- in all-time-high territory. The tech stock delivered an impressive earnings report and upwardly revised current-quarter sales forecast, which were met with no fewer than 15 price-target hikes from analysts.

Earnings and Economic Data

Retail sales, the producer price index (PPI), business inventories, and the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey are all due today. To see what is coming up on next week's schedule, click here. 

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