Investors are digesting this morning's consumer price index (CPI) data from August
All three major indexes are sporting healthy gains this afternoon, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) and Nasdaq Composite Index (IXIC) boasting triple-digit leads. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) is firmly higher as well, as investors attempt to push aside this morning's consumer price index (CPI) data for August, which came in at 0.4% on the month and 3.4% year-on-year -- both matching estimates.
Crude continued to cool, pulling back from this week's surge above $100, leaving Treasury yields to stabilize. Despite today's relief session, all three indexes remain on track for steep weekly drops, with the Dow headed for its worst week since March. Developments in the Red Sea are still of concern, with Iran's Houthis advancing to take over a key crude oil chokepoint.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- How crude prices performed ahead of today's cooldown.
- Sentiment tool for traders to help identify market extremes.
- Plus, retailer seeing a post-earnings options pop; DELL extends its impressive climb; and why this nuclear utilities stock is plummeting.
Home furniture retailer RH Inc (NYSE:RH) is trading 0.5% lower at $133.36 this afternoon, pulling back from earlier gains after posting a second-quarter earnings and revenue top- and bottom-line beat. Should these losses hold, RH will log a fourth-straight drop and its lowest close since May. Options traders are piling on, with 4,113 calls and 5,268 puts across the tape so far, six times the average intraday rate. Most popular are the weekly 9/11 130- and 135-strike puts, where opening activity is present and both are set to expire at the closing bell today.
Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:DELL) is the second-best stock on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) this afternoon, after RBC initiated coverage on the tech behemoth with an "outperform" rating and $640 price target. DELL is up 11.4% at $564.88, earlier tapping a fresh record high of $567.75. The equity has been on a tear up the charts, adding 348% in 2026, with multiple pullbacks captured by the 50-day moving average since July.
One of the worst names on the NYSE today is Oklo Inc (NYSE:OKLO), last seen down 6.7% at $37.20. The nuclear energy concern is plummeting after revealing plans for a $1 billion stock offering, as part of a distribution agreement with several major banks. OKLO is testing its late-July 14-month low near $36, while sporting a hefty 53% year-over-year deficit.