Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are pointing to a major sell-off, as traders react to a heavy round of blue-chip earnings. Most notably, shares of 3M (MMM) and Caterpillar (CAT) are set for sharp losses at the open, with 3M's results negatively affected by foreign currency impacts and Caterpillar feeling the crunch of steel tariffs as the U.S.-China trade standoff continues. Investors are also digesting earnings reports from Dow components United Technologies (UTX), Verizon (VZ), and McDonald's (MCD). Financial and tech stocks are signaling notable pre-market losses, too, with futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) trading well below fair value.

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

• Why stocks aren't out of the woods just yet, according to Schaeffer's Senior V.P. of Research Todd Salamone.
• The unusual pre-earnings options activity on Mattel.
• Puts pop as Skechers flashes bearish signal.
• Plus, big pre-market losses for MMM and CAT; a homebuilder beats; and Biogen barely moves after earnings.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 907,384 call contracts traded on Monday, compared to 519,810 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.57, and the 21-day moving average held at 0.65.
2. MMM is set to open down 7.8%, and CAT is down 8.1% in pre-market trading. 3M missed third-quarter earnings estimates and gave a weaker-than-expected full-year outlook -- not entirely surprising, after the company warned of rising material costs -- while Caterpillar is also getting hit due to a tepid forecast, and CAT stock could hit fresh lows as a result.
3. PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE:PHM) is eyeing a flat open after the homebuilder's third-quarter results. PHM's profit topped expectations for the period thanks to higher home prices, as the stock tries to stem the bleeding from some of its massive losses racked up earlier this year.
4. Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) is set to drop just 0.2% after earnings -- a far cry from the volatile move options traders were expecting. The company posted a top- and bottom-line beat, fueled by strong sales for its muscle disease drug Spinraza.
5. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is scheduled to speak today, as well as Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari and Chicago Fed President Charles Evans. Corning (GLW), Fifth Third (FITB), Harley-Davidson (HOG), Huntington Banc (HBAN), and Lockheed Martin (LMT) are also on the earnings schedule.

Big Losses For Asian Stock Markets

Asian stocks fell sharply in today's trading, as geopolitical tensions ramped up. Markets quickly reversed from yesterday's impressive gains, with Japan's Nikkei ending down 2.7%, China's Shanghai Composite surrendering 2.3%, and South Korea's Kospi shedding 2.6%. Taking the biggest hit, however, was Hong Kong's Hang Seng, which closed 3.1% lower.

European markets are selling off as geopolitical worries, Brexit talks, and disappointing tech sector earnings weigh on investor sentiment. Leading today's losses is Germany's DAX, which is down 1.7%, at last check. London's FTSE 100 and France's CAC 40 are not far behind, with the indexes sporting 1% and 1.1% losses, respectively.

It's an ugly day on Wall Street, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) down more than 400 points at midday and on track to breach the 25,000 level on a closing basis for the first time since July 12. Weighing on the blue-chip index are negative earnings reactions for Caterpillar (CAT) and 3M (MMM), with results for both firms impacted by President Donald Trump's escalating trade tensions. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are both firmly in the red, as well, as another chip stock sell-off turns up the heat.

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

• This FAANG stock is sinking on a pre-earnings price-target cut.
• Analysts continue to pile on struggling eBay stock.
• Plus, pre-earnings options bulls blast Deutsche Bank; Barrick Gold stays hot; and Nvidia stock breaches a key trendline.

Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE:DB) is seeing unusual options volume today. Nearly 19,000 calls are on the tape -- eight times the average intraday volume, and pacing in the 98th annual percentile. Most active is the weekly 11/2 6-strike call, with more than 14,000 options changing hands, and data suggesting buy-to-open activity could be occurring. DB is up 0.2% at $10.74, and the banking institution will report earnings before the open tomorrow, Oct. 24. 

Barrick Gold Corp (NYSE:ABX) is near the top of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today -- up 3.7% to trade at $13.58, as gold prices climb amid today's stock market sell-off. ABX just wrapped up its sixth straight weekly win, and recently climbed past a key trendline. The gold stock has now added 43% since bottoming at $9.53 back on Sept. 11. 

Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is taking a big hit today, down 5.9% to trade at $218.62, after UBS trimmed its price target on the chip stock to $260 from $285. NVDA raced to a record high of $292.76 on Oct. 2 after a flurry of bull notes, but has since shed 25%. In fact, today's drop puts NVDA shares on track to close below their 320-day moving average for the first time since July 2015. 

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are trading above fair value this morning, overcoming earlier weakness to now signal a nearly triple-digit jump at the open for the index. It's another huge day of Dow earnings, with Boeing (BA) setting the tone with an impressive quarterly report that has the shares ready to rally at the open. There will be plenty of action after the close, as well, with names like Microsoft (MSFT), Visa (V), and Tesla (TSLA) all preparing to report. However, futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are below fair value, as chip stocks prepare for another rough day.

Outside of corporate earnings, traders will be watching oil prices after yesterday's sell-off. At last check, December-dated crude futures were up 40 cents, or 0.6%, at $66.83 per barrel.

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

• What the unusual VIX performance means for stocks, courtesy of Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White.
• How options traders reacted to yesterday's blue-chip earnings. 
• Why Citron is changing its tune on Tesla ahead of earnings.
• Plus, Sirius XM set to pop; another semiconductor loser; and AT&T earnings disappoint.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.16 million call contracts traded on Tuesday, compared to 705,894 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio moved up to 0.61, and the 21-day moving average remained at 0.65.
2. Elsewhere on the earnings front, Sirius XM Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:SIRI) is gaining 3.3% in pre-market hours, after the company hiked its full-year earnings forecast. The shares needed a lift after hitting their lowest point since February yesterday, as they've struggled since the company announced plans to buy Pandora (P) in September, with an Amazon partnership failing to generate positive buzz.
3. Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) is set to drop over 6%, after the company issued a weak current-quarter outlook. TXN stock has been trending lower in recent months, yesterday falling to its lowest price of 2018 during a sector-wide slide in chip stocks.
4. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is another notable earnings loser, with the stock pointed down 3.6% before the open, after earnings for the third quarter fell short of estimates. T shares remain well below their early 2018 highs near $39, after the 200-day moving average recently rejected a rally attempt.
5. New home sales and the weekly crude inventories report are both slated for release today. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard and Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester will also speak. Traders will digest corporate earnings from Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Ford Motor (F), Hilton (HLT), UPS (UPS), and Whirlpool (WHR). 

Energy Stocks Cap Asian Markets' Upside

Stocks in Asia closed mixed, with a dip in energy stocks limiting gains. Japan's Nikkei managed to close 0.4% higher, with help from the electronic and cosmetics sectors. Meanwhile, China's Shanghai Composite also posted a modest gain, and finished up 0.3%. On the flip side, Hong Kong's Hang Seng and South Korea's Kospi both suffered a 0.4% loss.

European markets are respectably higher in afternoon trading, as a handful of strong earnings and outperforming retail stocks offset the latest eurozone PMI, which fell to a two-year low of 52.7 in October. Plus, the shares of Deutsche Bank are tanking after the financial giant reported a drop in third-quarter profit. At last check, London's FTSE 100 is up 1.2%, France's CAC 40 is 1.3% higher, and Germany's DAX is flirting with a 0.9% gain.

Stocks extended yesterday's sell-off, with major U.S. equity benchmarks closing deep in the red. Early enthusiasm over Boeing's (BA) post-earnings surge evaporated after disappointing housing data -- and selling intensified in the afternoon, as the Fed's Beige Book release appeared to bolster the case for a December rate hike amid rising costs and a tightening labor market. As a result, stocks fell to their lowest daily closing levels in months.

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

• One analyst thinks this red-hot pharma stock could triple.
• Why now's the time to trade railroad stocks.
• How options traders played Twitter ahead of earnings.
• Plus, why oil futures bounced today; DDD lands a bull note; and Goldman's defense pick.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 24,583.42) lost 608 points, or 2.4%, after earlier touching a session low of 24,533.19. A mere five Dow stocks ended the day higher, with Procter & Gamble (PG) leading the way, closing up 2.6%. On the flip side, United Technologies (UTX) paced the 25 losers with a 6.1% drop. Today marked the Dow's lowest daily close since July 6.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 2,656.10) shed 84.6 points, or 3.1%, extending its daily losing streak to six. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 7,108.40) fell 329.1 points, or 4.4%, to enter correction territory -- it's now down 12.6% from its Aug. 30 all-time intraday high. The SPX and Nasdaq both hit their lowest closing levels since May 3.

The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 25.23) jumped 4.5 points, or 21.8%, for the day. That puts the "fear index" back above this year's half-high at 25.15.

5 Items on our Radar Today

1. The Secret Service today said explosive devices were intercepted en route to former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and appeared similar to a device mailed to billionaire investor George Soros earlier this week. Devices were also sent to CNN's New York studios, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and Rep. Maxine Waters. President Donald Trump publicly condemned the attempted attacks, saying, "acts of threats or political violence have no place in the United States of America." (MarketWatch)
2. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Xofluza, the first new antiviral flu treatment in over 20 years. Research showed the single-dose drug can reduce a patient's sick time by more than a day, if taken within the first 48 hours of symptoms appearing. (CNBC)
3. Analysts adjusted their outlook on JetBlue stock after earnings. 
4. 3D Systems stock scored a pre-earnings upgrade.
5. Goldman Sachs just added this defense stock to its conviction list.

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Oil Bounces on Big Gasoline Drawdown

Oil futures edged higher today, recovering from the prior session's two-month low as domestic gasoline supplies fell by a steeper-than-forecast 4.8 million barrels. December-dated crude added 39 cents, or 0.6%, to settle at $66.82 per barrel.

Gold, however, fell from its three-month highs as a stronger dollar weighed heavy. December-dated gold futures shed $5.70, or 0.5%, to close at $1,231.10 per ounce.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures are trading comfortably above fair value ahead of one of the biggest earnings days of the year. Blue chip Microsoft (MSFT) is pointed higher after an upbeat earnings release, setting the tone ahead of quarterly results from fellow tech names Intel (INTC), Amazon.com (AMZN), and Alphabet (GOOGL) later in the day. Elsewhere, shares of Twitter (TWTR) and Tesla (TSLA) are sharply higher after earnings, as well.

On the data front, weekly jobless claims rose more than expected last week, though the total of unemployed Americans fell to a 45-year low. As such, the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are poised to join the Dow in positive territory following yesterday's sell-off.

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

• Analyst: Jump on this depressed IT stock .
• How the options market reacted to the unbelievable Nvidia sell-off.
• 2 stocks that sank on analyst downgrades.
• Plus, Twitter's earnings rally; an e-commerce winner; and an airliner ready to take off.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.12 million call contracts traded on Wednesday, compared to 794,647 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio moved up to 0.71, and the 21-day moving average moved up to 0.66.
2. Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) is up 11.4% before the open, following the company's impressive quarterly results. Twitter reported stronger-than-expected ad sales for the third quarter, despite the fact that monthly usage continues to fall. Regardless, TWTR put buyers could be hurting today.
3. Shopify Inc (NYSE:SHOP) is another notable mover before the open, with the shares trading up almost 7% before the bell. The e-commerce firm posted a surprise profit for the third quarter behind a 58% increase in revenue. SHOP stock just hit a new multi-month low yesterday, but this earnings reaction looks much more promising than last quarter's sell-off.
4. Finally, American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL) is also trying to bounce from recent lows, up close to 5% after the company confirmed its full-year outlook despite a number of headwinds. It's been a rough run for AAL shares, which touched a two-year low of $30.24 yesterday.
5. Today will be busy, with reports due out on durable goods orders, international trade data, weekly jobless claims, pending home sales, and the Fed balance sheet.

   It'll be another huge day for earnings reports, with Snap (SNAP), Baidu (BIDU), Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), Southwest Airlines (LUV), First Solar (FSLR) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN) rolling out earnings.

Earnings Provide a Lift In Europe

Asian markets finished mostly lower, tracking Wall Street's brutal Wednesday finish. Japan's Nikkei set the bearish pace with a 3.7% drubbing, while weakness in chipmakers dragged South Korea's Kospi to a 1.6% drop. Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1% by the close, but China's Shanghai Composite -- already firmly in bear-market territory -- recovered from an intraday drop of 71 points to settle fractionally higher, up 0.02% for the session.

European stocks are on firmer footing at midday, with sentiment catching a boost from well-received earnings out of Swiss bank UBS and French automaker Peugeot. Meanwhile, as expected, the European Central Bank (ECB) opted to stand pat on interest rates. At last check, the French CAC 40 is up 1.1%, the German DAX is 0.3% higher, and London's FTSE 100 is off 0.1%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) has explored a more than 400-point range on both sides of breakeven today. While strong earnings from Boeing (BA) initially propped the blue-chip index up over 100 points, a disappointing reading on new home sales -- which fell 5.5% to a roughly two-year low last month -- has soured investor sentiment, putting the Dow on track for its third straight loss.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are also both in the red, with the former pacing toward a sixth straight loss and the latter flirting with correction territory, as tech stocks sell off on a dismal warning from chipmaker Texas Instruments (TXN) . Elsewhere, oil prices continue to climb out of yesterday's hole, with December-dated crude futures up 0.8% at $66.97 per barrel.

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

• Goldman Sachs says to buy the dip on this Boeing rival.
• Bearish analysts blasted struggling JetBlue stock.
• Plus, options bears target downgraded Seagate Technology stock; Lowe's stock rebounds; and Trivago rallies into familiar resistance.

Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ:STX) is seeing unusual options volume today, with nearly 5,900 puts on the tape -- double the expected intraday amount. Most active is the December 42.50 put, and data suggests buy-to-open activity here. STX is down 4.6% to trade at $41.47, after being downgraded to "negative" from "neutral" at Susquehanna.

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) is up 0.4% to trade at $98.53, on track to snap a five-day losing streak. LOW has shed 16% since its late-September record high of $117.70, but the pullback appears to have been contained by its 160- and 200-day moving averages. Not to mention, the home improvement stock historically tends to outperform in the fourth quarter.

Trivago NV (NASDAQ:TRVG) is up 20% to trade at $5.93, one of the best stocks on the Nasdaq today, after the travel company reported a third-quarter profit. Last year at this time, TRVG gapped 22.5% lower after earnings. Nevertheless, the stock is running out of steam near famililar resistance around the site of its 40-week moving average.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is on the rebound today, up more than 350 points as earnings season hits high gear. A positive reaction for Microsoft's (MSFT) quarterly results has the tech stock at the top of the Dow, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are both confidently higher as well, with the former set to snap its six-day losing streak. In economic data, traders are digesting an unexpected rise in durable goods orders last month, while the U.S. trade deficit widened to a larger-than-anticipated $75.8 billion, and pending home sales rose 0.5% -- more than forecast.

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

• 2 FAANG earnings to watch tonight.
• Bears are blasting Electronic Arts stock ahead of earnings.
• Plus, options bears bet on a big Weight Watchers drop; Spirit Airlines flies higher after earnings; and Align Technology stock nears new lows.

Weight Watchers International, Inc. (NASDAQ:WTW) is seeing unusual options volume today, with more than 7,500  puts on the tape -- six times the expected intraday amount. Most active by far is the January 2019 40-strike put, with almost 7,300 contracts changing hands, and the bulk of which appear to be seeing buy-to-open activity. WTW is up 0.9% to trade at $64.78 today, but has shed 39% since its June 20 high of $105.73.

Spirit Airlines, Inc. (NYSE:SAVE) is up 6% to trade at $51.02, one of the best stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today, after the airliner reported third-quarter earnings that exceeded expectations. In response, Deutsche Bank upped its price target on the equity to $59 from $53. SAVE earlier flew to a record high of $51.78, and is now on track for its best day since July 12. The shares pulled back earlier this month, but the dip was quickly contained by their 80-day moving average.

Despite a new partnership with 3D Systems (DDD), Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN) is down 22.6% to trade at $225.09 today, one of the worst stocks on the Nasdaq so far, after the Invisalign parent gave fourth-quarter revenue guidance below expectations. At least seven brokerages have issued price-target cuts, including one to $277 at Evercore. ALGN is heading toward its worst day since October 25, 2007, and is trading at its lowest point in nearly a year.

Stocks bounced back in a big way today, with the Dow finishing 401 points higher thanks to a strong earnings reaction from blue-chip tech giant Microsoft (MSFT). Yesterday's steep losses were largely clawed back, as markets today rallied on a combination of positive quarterly reports and well-received economic data. The S&P 500 finally snapped its six-day losing streak, spearheaded by big gains for a pair of high-profile FAANG stocks ahead of earnings. 

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

• Analyst: Buy the weakness in housing stocks.
• Buy LNG stock on sale. 
• 3 stocks popping on activist investor chatter.
• Plus, pre-earnings skepticism toward EA; options traders flock to GLUU; and HLT gets an Ackman boost.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 24,984.55) added 401.1 points, or 1.6%. A mere seven Dow stocks ended the day lower, with Verizon (VZ) leading the way, closing down 1.8%. On the flip side, Microsoft (MSFT) paced the 23 winners with a 5.8% burst.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 2,705.57) gained 49.5 points, or 1.9%, snapping its daily losing streak at six. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 7,318.34) jumped 209.94 points, or nearly 3%.

The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 24.22) shed 1 point, or 4%, for the day.

5 Items on our Radar Today

1. Yeti Holdings, Inc (YETI) priced its initial public offering (IPO) at $18 per share, below the company's estimated range of $19-$21. The retailer specializes in high-priced outdoor camping products such as coolers, mugs, and camping equipment. The company had previously withdrawn its IPO earlier in 2018, citing market conditions. (MarketWatch)
2. Moody's, the famed credit rating agency, revised its outlook on the U.S. retail industry heading into the holiday season. The industry earned a "positive" rating for the first time since July 2015, and Moody's noted, "U.S retail [is]... finally starting to gain traction from investments made over the past couple of years." (Reuters)
3. Pre-earnings skepticism ramped up on Electronic Arts stock.
4. Options traders piled on after a sudden burst from GLUU stock.
5. News of an Ackman stake was just one of the drivers for HLT today.

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Oil, Gold Manage Modest Gains as Stocks Recover

Oil futures edged higher today, recovering from early weakness to move higher alongside stocks. December-dated crude added 51 cents, or 0.8%, to settle at $67.33 per barrel.

Gold was modestly higher today, as heightened volatility in the market props up demand for the safe-haven asset. December-dated gold futures added $1.30, or 0.1%, to close at $1,232.40 per ounce.

It's setting up to be an ugly day on Wall Street, with Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) futures pointing to a more than 250-point sell-off. Likewise, the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) is also bracing for a triple-digit drop out of the gate. The latest round of corporate earnings has been thoroughly disappointing, headlined by sharp pre-market losses from FAANG members Amazon.com (AMZN) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Against this backdrop, traders are essentially shrugging off a stronger-than-expected third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) update.

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

• Our founder and CEO Bernie Schaeffer suggests it could be time to buy puts on this gold ETF.
• 2 reasons this leisure stock jumped.
• Options traders jumped on Gluu Mobile's sudden move.
• Plus, Amazon and Alphabet slide; Snap shares sell off; and Chipotle beats estimates.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.18 million call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 778,374 put contracts. The single-session equity put/call ratio moved down to 0.66, and the 21-day moving average held at 0.66
2. Taking a closer look at FAANG earnings, AMZN shares are set to slump almost 7% at the open, due to the company's weaker-than-expected outlook for the holiday quarter. GOOGL, meanwhile, is off 5.4% in electronic trading, after the company posted a rare revenue miss for the third quarter.
3. Joining those two in the losers' circle this morning is Snapchat parent Snap Inc (NYSE:SNAP), cratering 12.5% before the open. The move comes after the social media firm announced a second straight decline in users, and said it expects the trend to continue. This should put SNAP stock at a new all-time low.
4. One name that was gaining after earnings was Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG), after the company posted better-than-expected third-quarter results. CMG shares were signaling a 4% pop at the open, but could now be seeing headwinds from the broad-market weakness, last seen trading around breakeven.
5. Data on consumer sentiment data also comes out today. Autoliv (ALV), Colgate-Palmolive (CL), and Goodyear Tire (GT) will wind down an active earnings week with their quarterly reports. Looking ahead, next week's schedule will have more earnings releases from FAANG members.

Stocks Everywhere Fall

It was a negative finish across the board in Asia today, with equity benchmarks ending lower after a choppy session. Despite Thursday's big rebound on Wall Street, investors abroad took their cues from steep after-hours earnings declines for U.S. tech giants. By the close, South Korea's Kospi's tumbled 1.8%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1.1%, Japan's Nikkei gave up 0.4%, and China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.2%.

European equity indexes are broadly lower at midday, following suit with the bearish tone set by Asia. In addition to negative earnings reactions from the likes of Amazon and Google, French auto parts name Valeo has tanked more than 20% after its quarterly results. At last check, France's CAC 40 is down nearly 2%, the German DAX is off 1.4%, and London's FTSE 100 has lost 1.1%.

Stocks are selling off once more, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) down more than 350 points at midday, almost erasing the gains from yesterday. The S&P 500 (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are spiraling, as well, with the former hovering near correction territory. Plus, all three indexes are headed for a weekly loss -- the Nasdaq its fourth in a row -- as disappointing FAANG earnings overshadow better-than-expected third-quarter gross domestic product (GDP). Against this backdrop, Wall Street's "fear gauge," the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), is pacing for a 30% weekly gain.

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

• 2 stocks at new lows after earnings. 
• The chip stock up 17% today.
• Plus, day traders target Johnson & Johnson; STX stock hit by sector struggles; and AK Steel sinks after earnings.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is seeing unusual put volume today, with more than 8,500 contracts on the tape -- double the expected intraday amount and volume pacing in the 97th percentile of its annual range. Most active is the weekly 10/26 138-strike put, with more than 2,561 contracts changing hands, and the bulk of which appear to be seeing buy-to-open activity. The Dow stock is down 1.1% to trade at $136.98 today. 

Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ:STX) is down 9.6% to trade at $38.66, one of the worst stocks on the S&P 500 today, dragged lower by a dismal quarterly report from sector peer Western Digital (WDC). STX is dangerously close to its annual low of 36.07 from last November, and is now trading below its year-to-date breakeven level. The shares have been pressured lower by their 20-day moving average since an early September bull gap. 

AK Steel Holding Corporation (NYSE:AKS) is down 9.2% to trade at $3.83 today, one of the worst stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) so far, after the company's third-quarter earnings and revenue fell short of expectations. The steel stock earlier fell to a two-year low of $3.56, and is on track for its worst day since July. AKS has now shed 32% in 2018, and a breakout earlier this month was contained by the shares' 320-day moving average.