Dow Higher After Yellen; Nasdaq Looks to Snap Weekly Losing Streak

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is higher at midday, as markets process Fed Chair Janet Yellen's comments from the central bank summit in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. While Yellen did not offer any insight toward the timing of future rate hikes, she did mention "the all-too-familiar risks of excessive optimism, leverage, and maturity transformation reemerging in new ways that require policy responses." Traders will now turn their eyes to European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, who will speak this afternoon.

Elsewhere, President Trump is expected to start publicly campaigning for tax reform next week, which is also lifting stocks. The Dow and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are now on track for a weekly win -- their first in three weeks. And while the Nasdaq Composite (COMP) is in the red today, it's set to snap its four-week losing streak.  

Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:

• 6 signs the Trump trade is losing steam.
• How avocados are contributing to Chipotle stock's demise.
• Plus, Kroger put volume pops; Signet stock still shining; and a travel stock trips up.

Among the stocks with unusual options volume is grocery giant Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) , with a whopping 32,000 puts traded -- 14 times the average intraday pace, and on track to finish in the highest percentile of its annual range. Most of the action centers around the April 22 puts, where over 9,200 contracts have been traded today -- likely bought to open. KR stock is currently up 4% to trade at $21.96, but is still staring at a 37% deficit this year, thanks to two June bear gaps. In fact, KR stock yesterday marked its lowest close in three years, on news that Amazon has cleared all hurdles to purchase Whole Foods. 

Signet Jewelers Ltd. (NYSE:SIG) stock is up 6.4% at $64.37, near the top of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today, as the jewelry retailer continues to bask in the glow of its earnings victory yesterday. The retail stock fell to a five-year low of $46.09 on May 31, but has since rebounded 39% to knock on the door of its 160-day moving average.

Travel site TripAdvisor (NASDAQ:TRIP) is among the worst stocks on the NYSE, down 3.8% to trade at $41.69. TRIP stock is up 18% since touching a four-year low of $35.34 in mid-June, despite offering lackluster earnings guidance earlier this month, but has backed down from its 180-day moving average.