The Dow is up 214 points at midday
Optimism is high on Wall Street, as peace talks between Ukraine and Russia seem to advance. More specifically, Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin said the country is set to "drastically" reduce military activity near Ukraine's capital of Kyiv. As a result, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is 214 points higher at midday, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) also sit firmly in positive territory.
In other news, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today authorized a fourth dose of the Pfizer (PFE) and Moderna (MRNA) Covid-19 vaccines for people age 50 or older, as fears emerge a more contagious sub variant of omicron could cause a new outbreak in the U.S.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- FedEx's long-time CEO announces retirement.
- Unpacking Nielsen stock's billion-dollar buyout.
- Plus, FUBO calls fly off the shelves; IGM Biosciences stock soars on stock offering; and why this pharma stock is sinking.
Fubotv Inc (NYSE:FUBO) is seeing a surge in bullish options activity today. Already, 91,000 calls have crossed the tape, or nine times the intraday average, compared to the 4,159 puts traded. The April 9 call is the most popular by far, followed by the 4/1 8-strike call, with new positions being opened at both. FUBO was last seen up 6.4% to trade at $7.53, though a catalyst for today's positive price action is not yet clear. However, over the last six months, pressure from the 30-day moving average resulted in a March 15, record low of $6.01. Year-to-date, Fubotv stock is off more than 50%.
IGM Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:IGMS) is the best performing stock on the Nasdaq today. The security was last seen up 130.9% at $34.61, after the company announced plans to offer $200 million shares of its common stock. The company posted narrower-than-expected fourth-quarter losses as well. IGMS is currently trading back above the 60-day moving average, a long-term trendline of resistance that pushed shares to a March 15, all-time low of $13.11. Year-over-year, the equity remains down 57.6%.
Meanwhile, NeoGenomics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEO) is pacing towards the bottom of the Nasdaq. The security is down 30.9% to trade at $12.30 at last check, after a dismal first-quarter forecast led to the the resignation of Chief Executive Officer Mark Mallon. NEO is now eyeing its seventh-straight monthly loss, while trading at its lowest level since 2018, which is adding to its 72.9% year-over-year deficit.