The DJIA is lower ahead of this afternoon's release of the Fed's Beige Book
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is on shaky ground at midday, as stocks eye the Labor Department's Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) -- which revealed a record number of job openings for July, though hiring was tepid. This, along with the afternoon release of the Fed's Beige Book, is keeping the rate-hike conversation front and center. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) earlier hit another record high, though iPhone 7 parent Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is lower ahead of the company's big event this afternoon.
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Among the stocks with unusual options volume at midday is telecom T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ:TMUS). Call volume is running at 11 times the intraday norm, arriving in the 97th annual percentile, seemingly due to one bullish trader. For instance, it appears someone sold to close their September 49 calls, while simultaneously buying to open November 49 calls -- rolling out their bet to give TMUS more time to topple the strike. An unraveling of short interest could do the trick for this option bull, with the stock sitting at $46.70 -- just below its seven-year high of $48.11, reached one month ago.
Among the biggest gainers on the Nasdaq is casino stock Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN), thanks to a price-target increase to $105 from $100 at Susquehanna. The bullish attention has WYNN stock up 2.3% at $94.95, bringing its 2016 advance to over 37%. The shares have been especially strong in September, and could be due for more gains if short interest continues to fall, as it did by 6% in the last two reporting periods.
Among the worst performers on the Big Board is grocery chain The Kroger Co (NYSE:KR), as the stock sells off alongside its sector peers and succumbs to a negative brokerage note. At last check, the shares were down 4.1% at $31.34, earlier hitting an annual low of $31.10. More bearish analysts notes could be in store, too, since nine of 15 brokerage firms still say KR is a "buy," despite its 25% year-to-date drop.
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 0.1 point, or 1%, at 12.14
Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 0.99, with calls and puts trading in near parity. SPY is down 0.4 point, or 0.2%, at $218.67.
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