The DJIA is up slightly at midday, after Trump previewed a massive infrastructure bill
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has traded on both sides of breakeven, as traders exercise caution ahead of President Donald Trump's big meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this week. At last check, the Dow was modestly higher, after factory orders muscled higher for the third straight month, as expected. Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) is leading the charge for Dow stocks, up 2.5% after being added to Goldman Sachs' "Americas conviction buy" list, and after Trump touted a massive infrastructure bill. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) has also edged into positive territory, though the S&P 500 Index (SPX) was most recently seen lower.
Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:
- Options traders are taking aim at these 2 retail takeover targets.
- Analyst: Amazon is a threat to this fellow FANG stock.
- Plus, Cree put volume explodes; the drug stock up 32%; and a rough day for one iconic retailer.
Among the stocks with unusual put volume today is LED producer Cree, Inc. (NASDAQ:CREE), where the contracts are trading at 134 times the usual intraday rate. The lion's share of the activity is transpiring at the at-the-money May 25 put, totaling north of 11,600 contracts -- with Trade-Alert hinting at newly purchased positions. Bearish bettors are apparently pouncing amid CREE's 5.4% loss, last seen at $24.98.
One of the top percentage gainers on the Nasdaq today is Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:PRTK), with the drug stock up 32% at $24.58, and fresh off an annual high of $25. Spurring the wave of buying power is upbeat drug data, as well as a round of bullish brokerage notes.
J C Penney stock is one of the worst performers on the New York Stock Exchange amid severe retail sector headwinds. The shares were last seen 6% lower at $5.67, not far from JCP's late-March two-year low of $5.45.