Boeing Rally Sends Dow to Record Close

U.S. stocks spent the first half of the day trading in the red on President Donald Trump's pessimistic comments about a trade deal with China, but the major indexes were able to pare most of these losses by the close. A sudden rally from Boeing (BA) on news the company expects its 737 MAX to return to commercial service in January sparked a major reversal from the Dow, eventually guiding it to a record close. While the price action for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq was similar, both indexes settled slightly lower on the day.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:.

• A put seller placed a big bet on rallying Humana.
• Why this entertainment stock could keep struggling.
• Analyst expects major moves from one China stock.
• Plus, an analyst's Qualcomm concerns; a must-see Garmin signal; and blue-chip buyout buzz.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 27,691.49) finished with a 10.3-point, or 0.04%, lead, despite being down more than 160 points earlier in the day. BA's 4.5% gain wasn't even the best of the Dow's nine winners, as Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) rose 5.1%. As for the 21 blue-chip losers, 3M (MMM) had the worst day, falling 1.8%.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,087.01) recovered most of its intraday losses, but still ended down 6.1 points, or 0.2%. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 8,464.28) dropped 11 points, or 0.1%.

The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 12.69) added 0.6 point, or 5.1%, briefly taking out its 20-day moving average for the first time since Oct. 11.

5 Items on Our Radar Today

1. Alibaba's (BABA) Singles Day brought in more than $38 billion by the end of the event, up roughly 25% from last year. That growth is actually slightly lower than what the Chinese e-commerce giant experienced last year, potentially due to a weakened economy in China. (CNN Business)
2. A report from The Information said that Apple (AAPL) is planning to release an augmented reality (AR) headset in 2022, with AR glasses planned for 2023. Part of the story claimed Apple managers had suggested the glasses could replace the need for an iPhone in about a decade. (Engadget)
3. Morgan Stanley's fears around Qualcomm.
4. The signal saying Garmin's heading north.
5. A blue chip caught up in buyout buzz.

Oil Prices Dip

Oil prices fell today on the uneasiness around trade relations. December crude futures finished off 38 cents, or 0.7%, at $56.86 per barrel.

Gold prices also slumped today, with the December-dated contract falling $5.80, or 0.4%, to $1,457.10 an ounce -- marking another nearly three-month closing low.