The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are headed for their third-straight weekly wins
Stocks are a mixed bag to end the week as investors unpack this morning's key employment data, which showed nonfarm payrolls of 227,000 beating expectations of 214,000. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is modestly lower and on track a weekly loss, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) hit record highs as they head for their third consecutive weekly gains.
Meanwhile, per the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment rose to a higher-than-expected 74.0 in December from November's 71.8, marking a fifth-straight monthly rise.
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Options traders are targeting Lululemon Athletica Inc (NASDAQ:LULU), after the retailer's upbeat third-quarter results and holiday forecast. So far, 78,000 calls and 55,000 puts have crossed the tape, which is 12 times the average daily options volume. The weekly 12/6 410-strike call is the most popular, with new positions opening there. LULU was last seen up 17.1% at $403.80, on track for its seventh-straight daily win and largest single-day percentage gain since 2008.
Asana Inc (NYSE:ASAN) is at the top of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today, up 40.1% at $21.69 at last glance, after issuing a better-than-expected third-quarter earnings and guidance, as well as an upbeat forecast. This pushed a handful of analysts to hand out bull notes, sending the stock to fresh 52-week highs and breaking out above long-term resistance at the 320-day moving average
On the other hand, Guidewire Software Inc (NYSE:GWRE) is at the bottom of the NYSE, despite strong fiscal first-quarter results and subsequent price-target hikes, after the software stock's current-quarter forecast fell short of expectations. At last look, GWRE is down 14.5% at $176.66, though still up 62% year to date.