The shares of Yum China Holdings Inc (NYSE:YUMC) are down 5.9% at $57.60 at last check, following an announcement from the China-based fast-food firm that the Covid-19  delta variant in the region has had a significant effect on the company. Yum China warned that it expects to turn out a lower operating profit for the third quarter, predicting an approximately 50% to 60% year-over-year drop. 

The stock is trading back below its 20-day moving average, which briefly reemerged as support late last month, and is now trading at its lowest level since February. The equity is now testing its footing at its year-to-date breakeven, but sports a roughly 11.5% year-over-year lead. 

Analyst sentiment is still strong. Of the seven in coverage, five call it a "buy" or better, while the 12-month consensus price target of $71.42 is a 16.7% premium to last night's close. 

Short interest has been falling off rapidly, down almost 40% in the last two reporting periods. The 10.59 million shares sold short make up 2.6% of the stock's available float, or over a week of pent-up buying power. 

Options traders have been clinging to bearish bets, however. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), YUMC sports a 10-day put/call volume ratio of 1.51, which stands higher than 80% of readings from the past year. This implies calls are more popular than usual. 

Today investors can expect the import price and Empire State indexes. In addition, industrial production and capacity utilizations data are due out.

The following company is due to release quarterly earnings today, September 15:

JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE:FCEL -- $46.78) engages in the design, development, production, and marketing of photovoltaic products. JinkoSolar will report its Q2 earnings of 2021 before the bell today.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, the bulk of this week's economic data is due out. This includes initial and continuing jobless claims data updates. In addition, retail sales and business inventories reports are due, as is the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index.

All economic dates listed here are tentative and subject to change.

The shares of Crowdstrike Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CRWD) are inching higher, last seen up 1.4% to trade at $257.52, after the security nabbed an Aug. 30 all-time high of $289.24. The equity has cooled down since that peak, though, and is pacing for its third-straight weekly loss, with overhead pressure from the 20-day moving average and $260 level keeping a tight lid on gains. Still, there is reason to believe this downward may be short-lived, with more records on the horizon.

According to data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Researcher Rocky White, Crowdstrike stock just came back within one standard deviation of its 80-day moving average, after spending some time above the trendline. White's study shows the equity has made a similar move four other times. One month after these instances, the security was higher, averaging a 24.8% return. Should CRWD stage a comparable move from its current perch, it could put the equity at a fresh all-time high of $321.38.

A shift in the options pits could create additional tailwinds for CRWD. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the stock's 50-day put/call volume ratio sits higher than 99% of readings from the past year. This implies options traders are picking up puts at a quicker-than-usual clip. 

Options seem like a good bet for those wanting to weigh on CrowdStrike's next move higher. CRWD's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 40% ranks in the 11th percentile of its annual range, meaning short-term options are pricing in low volatility expectations at the moment. Plus, the security has consistently rewarded premium buyers over the past year. Its Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 94 out of a 100 indicates the stock has tended to make outsized moves on the chart, relative to what the options market was anticipating.