The VIX is pushing further into double-digit territory
U.S. stocks are off their early morning lows, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is still trading firmly in negative territory. Investors continue to react to reports China may be rethinking its long-held strategy of buying U.S. debt, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury holding above the closely watched 2.5% level at last check. With the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) facing their first losing session of 2018 -- and set to snap six-day win streaks -- the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is eyeing its third straight positive finish and its highest close of the year.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- 2 stocks soaring on blockchain buzz.
- Another analyst pins trillion-dollar hopes on Amazon.
- Plus, a big put trade on Ford; an airline stock on pace for an 8th straight weekly win; and a slumping semiconductor stock.
Among the stocks with unusual options volume is automaker Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F). One trader earlier opened 15,270 March 12 puts, and if these contracts were bought to open, the bearish position would show expectations for F shares to fall below $12 this quarter. For reference, the car stock's average daily put volume is just 17,000. Ford was last seen trading down 0.3% at $13.04, slipping from yesterday's 52-week high of $13.22.
One of the best stocks on the New York Stock Exchange today is United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL), as the company's upbeat business update was met with bullish analyst attention. UAL shares were last seen trading up 6.1% at $72.66, putting them on pace for an eighth straight weekly win.
Over on the Nasdaq, Silicon Motion Technology Corp. (NASDAQ:SIMO) is getting buried just a day after the semiconductor stock hit a record high. SIMO shares have dropped 9.6% to trade at $51.02, which would mark their largest daily decline since October 2016. Still, they sport a year-over-year gain of 22.7%.