Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P, Nasdaq Notch New Highs

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), S&P 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq Composite (COMP) have all muscled to new record highs, as the Trump rally continues. What's more, the Dow is also on track for a seventh straight close in the black, and earlier came within 85 points of the psychologically significant 20,000 mark. This, despite near-unanimous rate-hike expectations from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), once its two-day policy meeting wraps up tomorrow afternoon -- which will be followed by a speech from Fed Chair Janet Yellen.

• This SPX signal just flashed for the first time in two years.
• Has the Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) hype gone too far?
• Checking in on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.
• Plus... Himax puts pop, one drugmaker's dismal day, and VeriFone shakes off the haters.

Among the stocks with unusual put volume at midday is Himax Technologies, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:HIMX), as the tech shares sell off following a downgrade to "neutral" from "buy" at Mizuho Securities, which also lowered its price target to $7.70 from $10. Currently, HIMX is down 8.4% at $6.61. Put options are running at seven times the expected amount for this point in the session, and Trade-Alert suggests buy-to-open activity is transpiring at the January 2017 7 strike.

The largest loser on the Nasdaq is Proteon Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:PRTO), down 73.2% at $2.65, fresh off a record low of $2.45, and on the short-sale restricted list. The shares are getting obliterated by a failed drug trial, as well as downgrade to "neutral" at Baird, which also slashed its price target to $3 from $20. Oppenheimer, meanwhile, lowered its rating to "perform" from "outperform."

Among the top performers on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is VeriFone Systems Inc (NYSE:PAY), tacking on 8.2% to trade at $17.79. This, despite a mostly downbeat round of post-earnings analyst coverage.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 0.3 point, or 2.2%, at 12.92.

Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 0.89, with calls maintaining a slim, and rare, lead over puts. At last check, SPY is up 1.2 points, or 0.5%, at $227.44 -- and fresh off a record peak of $227.84.

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