Analysts are weighing in on electric car company Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), tech concern Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), and software company Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of TSLA, MU, and ORCL.

TSLA Target Hike is Faint Praise

Barclays raised its price target on Tesla stock to $210 from $165, even as the firm backed its "underweight" rating and cut its per-share earnings estimates. The upwardly revised $210 target is still a hefty drop from the stock's current trading price of $363.31, up 0.2% on the day. Yesterday, TSLA briefly took aim at recent resistance in the $370 area, but ultimately ended lower after an NTSB rebuke on autopilot, and after Jim Chanos said he's still short the stock.

However, options players remain apparently upbeat on TSLA. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), Tesla has racked up a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 1.23, in the 81st percentile of its annual range. This suggests calls are being bought to open at a faster-than-usual clip, relative to puts.

Goldman Joins the Bulls' Camp on MU

Goldman Sachs upgraded Micron Technology stock to "buy" from "neutral" and raised its price target to $40 from $33. The new target stands about 15% above the two-year high of $34.80 set earlier in today's session, with MU last seen trading up 0.5% at $34.45.

Goldman is late to the party with today's upgrade, as most analysts are already optimistic towards the technology concern. Of the 14 brokerage firms following MU stock, 13 have issued "buy" or "strong buy" recommendations.

ORCL Gets a Bullish Nod Ahead of Earnings

Oracle stock received a price-target boost to $58 from $56 at Wedbush this morning, as the brokerage backed its rating of "outperform." This bullish note comes just ahead of ORCL's fiscal first-quarter earnings report, which is due out after the close on Thursday.

The software stock reached a record high of $52.89 yesterday, and sports a year-to-date gain of 37%. However, ORCL is trading fractionally lower at $52.76.

In the options pits, traders have been taking an optimistic approach on ORCL. The equity's ISE/CBOE/PHLX 50-day call/put volume ratio of 3.35 ranks in the 73rd percentile of all other ratios from the past 52 weeks. This suggests a significant skew toward bullish bets over bearish in recent months.

U.S. stocks are trading mixed this afternoon, with the Dow struggling to build on solid gains from the last two sessions. Among the names in the spotlight today are tech stock Western Digital Corp (NASDAQ:WDC), retail giant Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT), and biopharmaceutical company Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:LXRX). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of WDC, TGT, and LXRX.

Western Digital 'Disappointed' in Toshiba

Western Digital stock is down 5.1% to trade at $84.27, after Toshiba signed a memorandum to accelerate talks to sell its memory chip business to a group led by private equity firm Bain Capital, despite Western Digital's bidding efforts. Toshiba said it intends to sign a contract by the end of the month, but added that the memorandum does not exclude talks with other bidders, which also includes Taiwan's Foxconn. Western Digital said it's "disappointed Toshiba would take this action," but remains confident it can protect its interests. In light of the news, Summit Redstone downgraded WDC to "hold" from "buy," with the analyst calling the Western Digital-Toshiba relationship "extremely strained and likely irrepairable [sic]."

Despite the tech stock's longer-term uptrend -- it peaked at a two-year high of $95.77 on July 21 -- options traders have been bracing for WDC's retreat. Likewise, short interest on Western Digital stock grew by 40.6% during the past reporting period, to nearly 8 million shorted shares. The stock's 200-day moving average, however, could contain the shares' pullback like it did in mid-August.

Target Stock is Red-Hot After Retailer Boosts Holiday Hires

Shares of Target stock are on the rise today, last seen trading 2.7% higher at $59.44, after the retailer said it plans to hire 100,000 workers for the holiday season -- a 43% boost from last year. The announcement lifted the stock to an intraday high of $60.12 -- territory TGT shares haven't visited since their late-February bear gap. What's more, TGT is knocking on the door of its 200-day moving average for the first time since January, and is up roughly 22% from the five-year low of $48.56 it touched on June 16. A short squeeze could send the shares even higher, as short interest represents six days' worth of pent-up buying demand, at TGT's average daily trading volume.

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals Stock Tanks After Medical Journal Publication

Swimming in the red with WDC today is Lexicon Pharmaceuticals stock, last seen down 7.3% to trade at $13.66. LXRX shares hit a one-year low of $12.93 earlier, as an editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine called out "flaws in the design" of the short-term trial for Lexicon's diabetes drug. Today's plunge sends LXRX shares 1.4% below their year-to-date breakeven level, and ranks the stock among the worst on the Nasdaq.

Shorts are likely cheering today's decline, as short interest on LXRX accounts for 38% of the stock's total float, or 31 times' LXRX's average daily trading volume. LXRX, however, is on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list today.

It could be another ho-hum day on Wall Street, with stock futures pointing to a slightly lower open. Among specific stocks in focus are hospital operator Tenet Healthcare Corp (NYSE:THC), semiconductor concern Lattice Semiconductor Corp (NASDAQ:LSCC), and cancer treatment specialist Array Biopharma Inc (NASDAQ:ARRY). Here's a quick look at what's boosting shares of THC, LSCC, and ARRY. 

Sale Reports Boost THC Shares

Tenet Healthcare stock is up 7.8% ahead of the open, thanks to reports the company is exploring a sale. This comes less than two weeks from the company's big CEO announcement. At $16.24, the shares are down almost 32% year-over-year, and had been struggling to overcome their 200-day moving average. Still, today's news could have THC short sellers shaking in their boots, as these bearish bets have been rising fast for nearly a year. In fact, short interest on Tenet Healthcare is now at the highest point since at least 2002, with 33.9 million shares sold short. 

Trump Smacks Down Lattice-Canyon Bridge Deal

President Trump has blocked China-based Canyon Bridge Capital Partners’ planned purchase of Lattice Semiconductor. The stock has been struggling for months, hitting an annual low of $5.51 just yesterday, before closing at $5.72, and now analysts are lowering their outlooks. Specifically, Jefferies this morning dropped its price target $6.50, and Craig-Hallum moved its target down to $6. Most brokerages are taking a wait-and-see approach toward LSCC shares, with three-fourths of those in coverage issuing tepid "hold" ratings. 

ARRY Shares Slide After Stock Offering

Shares of Array Biopharma are down 8.5% in pre-market trading, after the company's public stock offering last night. It's been a big year for ARRY, rallying a brow-raising 200% year-over-year to trade at $10.53. Not surprisingly, sentiment is very bullish across Wall Street. For example, eight out of nine brokerages have "strong buy" ratings on the stock, and options traders have been buying calls for some time now. Specifically, Array Biopharma has a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 10.7 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), good enough to rank in the 68th annual percentile. 

Analysts are weighing in on car rental specialist Hertz Global Holdings, Inc (NYSE:HTZ), credit bureau Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX), and healthcare stock Opko Health Inc. (NASDAQ:OPK). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of HTZ, EFX, and OPK.

Hertz Stock Pulls Back After Morgan Stanley Note

Hertz Global Holdings is reeling, down 9.5% to trade at $21.66, after Morgan Stanley downgraded the rental car stock to "underweight" from "equal weight," explaining "investor expectations may be too high" following a recent surge. The brokerage firm also raised its price target to $14 from $12, though this remains well below current trading levels.

It's been an inspiring rally for HTZ stock, which has tacked on a whopping 154% since its June 21 eight-year low low of $8.52. Part of this upside is likely due to a recent round of short covering, with short interest down 14.9% in the most recent reporting period.

Embattled EFX Stock at Risk for Downgrades

The bad news keeps coming for Equifax. EFX shares are currently down 8.7% to trade at $90.42, fresh off a new two-year low of $90.12, after Barclays and J.P. Morgan Securities cut their price targets to $115 and $135, respectively. Probes into the massive data breach are growing, and Equifax CEO Richard Smith's apology in USA Today on Tuesday did little to satisfy U.S. senators, who helped spark an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Smith will testify in front of a House of Representatives panel on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

EFX stock has shed nearly 35% since the news of the data breach broke last Friday, but analyst sentiment remains overwhelmingly positive for now. Of the 14 brokerages covering EFX, 11 rate the stock a "buy" or better. This means that there is plenty of room for downgrades to pour in, which could send Equifax stock even lower.

Analyst Downgrade Sinks Opko Health Stock

Opko Health shares are down 5.1% to trade at $6.14, after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the pharma stock to "neutral" from "overweight," while also reducing its price target to $7 from $12. OPK stock has shed 34% year-to-date and fell to a four-year low of $5.85 on Aug. 17. The shares remain heavily shorted, too. The 77.82 million shares sold short represents a lofty 23.2% of OPK's total available float.

Analysts are weighing in on information technology (IT) concern VMware, Inc. (NYSE:VMW), computer graphics company NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), and online retailer eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of VMW, NVDA, and EBAY.

VMW Hits New High After Barclays Upgrade

VMW received an upgrade to "overweight" from "equal weight" at Barclays, along with a price-target raise to $130 from $109. The new target stands some 3.8% north of VMware's reigning all-time high of $125.25, set back in October 2007. Meanwhile, VMW hit a new three-year high of $111 earlier today, and is currently up 0.2% at $110.68.

VMW's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.95 ranks in the 88th percentile of its annual range, which suggests near-term options traders have rarely been more put-biased during the past year. Conversely, over half of analysts following the stock carry "buy" or better ratings.  

Susquehanna Issues Lackluster Price-Target Hike on NVDA

Susquehanna raised its price target on NVDA stock to $155 from $140. This move comes on the heels of a one-year gain of 172% for Nvidia shares, though the upwardly revised target still stands more than 9% south of the stock's current perch. Last seen trading up 0.3% at $170.86, the PC graphics concern reached a record high of $174.56 on August 8, and has since been consolidating into its 40-day moving average.   

Options players are considerably more upbeat than Susquehanna. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), NVDA has a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 1.55, ranking in the 76th annual percentile. This suggests options traders have bought to open calls over puts at a faster-than-usual clip in recent months.

D.A. Davidson Rates EBAY a "Buy"

D.A. Davidson initiated eBay with a "buy" rating and a price target of $45, just one day after the stock reached a record high of $38.50. The outperforming stock is trading up 0.3% at $38.40, bringing its year-to-date gain to 29%.

However, speculative players have loaded up on bearish options. At the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX, EBAY carries a 50-day put/call volume ratio of 0.87, which ranks in the 95th annual percentile. The stock also sports a SOIR of 1.80, in the 90th percentile. In other words, options players have rarely been more put-heavy during the past 52 weeks.

Economic data continues to dominate the news, with the September Fed meeting kicking off on Tuesday. Policymakers are expected to leave the benchmark interest rate untouched, but market participants will be awaiting details on the Fed's plans to unwind its $4.5 trillion balance sheet. Earnings are relatively light, but traders should watch out for reports from some big names like Adobe Systems (ADBE) and AutoZone (AZO). Finally, a handful of speeches from Fed officials are set to close out the week.

Below is a brief list of some key market events scheduled for the upcoming week. All earnings dates listed below are tentative and subject to change. Please check with each company's respective website for official reporting dates.

The NAHB housing market index and Treasury international capital (TIC) flows are due out on Monday, Sept. 18. Steelcase (SCS) will report earnings after the close.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is set to begin on Tuesday, Sept. 19, along with reports on housing starts and import and export prices. Adobe Systems (ADBE), AutoZone (AZO), Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), and FedEx (FDX) are set to report earnings. 

Existing home sales and weekly crude inventories will hit the Street on Wednesday, Sept. 20, with the FOMC policy statement due out at 2 p.m. ET. The Fed's economic forecasts will be released simultaneously, followed by a 2:30 press conference with Chair Janet Yellen. Earnings are expected from General Mills (GIS).

It will be a full day of reports on Thursday, Sept. 21, kicking off with weekly jobless claims, the Philadelphia Fed index, the FHFA home price index, and the index of leading economic indicators. The earnings calendar features results from Manchester United (MANU).
 
A trio of Fed speeches are scheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, with San Francisco Fed President John Williams, Kansas City Fed President Esther George, and Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan set to deliver remarks. Also on the day's docket are the Baker-Hughes weekly rig count and Markit's flash composite purchasing managers index (PMI). CarMax (KMX) and Finish Line (FINL) are on the earnings list.

U.S. stocks are mixed this afternoon, with the Dow outperforming its fellow equity indexes after this morning's inflation data. Among the names in the spotlight today are aerospace concern (and Dow stock) Boeing Co (NYSE:BA), Chinese online retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA), and credit bureau TransUnion (NYSE:TRU). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of BA, BABA, and TRU.

Boeing Gets 2 Price-Target Hikes on Air Force One Contract

Boeing has received two bullish analyst notes following Wednesday night's news of a $600 million defense contract for Air Force One aircraft from the Pentagon. Deutsche Bank raised its target to $300 from $280, while Berenberg lifted its target to $282 from $245. BA is up 1.3% at $245.15, not far from July's record high of $246.46. 

At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), BA sports a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 1.58, which ranks in the 95th percentile of its annual range. This suggests calls have been bought to open at an extremely fast clip relative to puts in recent weeks.

Insider Sales Can't Shake BABA's Uptrend

BABA stock has been on an impressive uptrend this year -- even reaching a record high of $179.93 earlier today -- but was last seen trading 1.1% lower at $176.94 after regulatory filings revealed that founder Jack Ma and Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Tsai will sell up to 21.5 million shares beginning in October. Despite today's dip, the China-based stock boasts an impressive 101% year-to-date gain, and is a must-buy among analysts -- all 19 brokerage firms following Alibaba have "buy" or "strong buy" recommendations.

Options Traders Prefer Puts for TRU Stock

TRU stock is down 0.2% to trade at $43.59, paring the bulk of its intraday sympathy losses with embattled sector peer Equifax (EFX). Shares of the credit bureau reached a record high of $49.46 as recently as Sept. 7, but have since plunged below key support at their 40-day and 80-day moving averages.  

While TransUnion doesn't yet have a sizable following among options traders, those who are speculating on the stock's next move appear to be bracing for more downside. TRU's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 2.45 ranks in the 85th annual percentile, suggesting near-term options traders have rarely been more put-heavy. 

U.S. stock futures are pointing to a negative start, as traders weigh North Korea's latest missile strike against a fresh round of economic data. Among specific stocks in focus today are software firm Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL), cancer treatment specialist Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRTX), and embattled credit reporting agency Equifax Inc. (NSYE:EFX). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of ORCL, MRTX, and EFX.

Oracle Stock Retreats After Earnings

Oracle shares are down 4.9% in electronic trading, after the tech firm forecast current-quarter adjusted profit below the consensus estimate and said its cloud growth will likely slow. Nevertheless, a fiscal first-quarter earnings beat sparked price-target hikes from no fewer than four brokerage firms, including Jefferies to $61 from $60.

This new ORCL price target represents expected upside of 15.6% to last night's close at $52.79, and sits in record-high territory. And despite today's pre-market downside, Oracle stock has been on a tear in 2017, up 37.3% -- and fresh off yesterday's record high of $53.14.

As such, the shares may be due for a short-term pullback. Oracle's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) closed Thursday at 78 -- indicating the stock is overbought.

MRTX Stock is Soaring Ahead Sitravatinib Data Presentation

After closing last night at $4.75, Mirati Therapeutics stock is up 99% ahead of the bell, set to open the session at levels not seen since June 2016. Yesterday, the biotech gave a well-received update on its non-small cell lung cancer drug, sitravatinib, and Mirati Therapeutics is due to give preliminary data on two early stage trials of the treatment today at the IASLC 2017 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology.

Adding to the bullish buzz is Leerink's upwardly revised price target for MRTX to $9 from $7, though still below the average 12-month price target of $9.60. Today's projected price move could have shorts rushing to cover. More than 1.1 million MRTX shares are sold short, representing 9.4 times the stock's average daily pace of trading. 

Schumer, Warren Weigh in on Equifax Data Breach

Equifax stock hit two-year low of $89.59 yesterday before closing at $96.66, bringing its week-to-date decline to 21.6%. Today, the shares are down 1.7% ahead of the bell, as more senators weigh in on the company's massive data breach.

While Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it is "one of the most egregious examples of corporate malfeasance since Enron," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a probe into the company. Equifax is already being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

What's more, SunTrust Robinson slashed its price target on EFX stock to $110 from $155. Considering the average 12-month price target of $131.46 stands at a 39% premium to last night's close and 65% of analysts maintain a "buy" or better rating on the shares, more bearish brokerage notes could be on the horizon.

Analysts are weighing in on airline stocks American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL), United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL), and Spirit Airlines Incorporated (NASDAQ:SAVE). J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded all three airline stocks over concerns about domestic airline pricing and fuel prices. Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of AAL, UAL, and SAVE.

Downgrade Grounds American Airlines Stock

American Airlines stock is down 1.4% to trade at $45.55, after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the airline name to "neutral" from "overweight," while also cutting its price target to $53 from $61. Earlier this week, the company lowered its current-quarter revenue per available seat mile (RASM) outlook. Since touching a two-year high of $54.48 in mid-July, AAL stock has pulled back 16%, but seems to have found support atop its 320-day moving average.

In the options pits, traders have bought to open puts over calls by a wider-than-usual margin. AAL sports a 10-day put/call volume ratio of 0.58 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which ranks in the 79th percentile of its annual range. 

A Rough Quarter for United Continental

United Continental stock is down 2% to trade at $60.01, after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded it to "neutral" from "overweight." UAL stock also received a price-target cut to $68 from $84. The new price target represents a 16% discount to the stock's average 12-month price target of $81.38. UAL stock has shed 27% since touching record high of $83.04 on June 2.

Despite United's fundamental and technical troubles lately, analyst sentiment remains bullishly skewed. Of the 15 brokerages covering UAL shares, eight rate them a "buy" or "strong buy," with not a single "sell" in sight. This means that there is still plenty of room aboard the bearish bandwagon. Further downgrades could push the stock even lower.

Spirit Airlines Not Spared From Downgrade Spree

Spirit Airlines stock is down 2.7% to trade at $33.89, after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the stock to "neutral" from "overweight," while also trimming its price target to $37 from $45. Last night, Spirit Airlines said it was too soon to assess the financial impact of Hurricane Irma on 2017 results, but "we do expect it to be significant." SAVE stock has had a tough year, shedding 43% since peaking above $60 in May, and touching a four-year low of $30.32 on Sept. 6. 

Shorts are betting on even steeper declines for SAVE stock. Short interest increased by a whopping 69% during the last two reporting periods, but accounts for only 7% of SAVE's total available float. This indicates that there is still plenty of room for short sellers to hop aboard the stock. 

Analysts are weighing in on airline company Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV), alternative energy concern First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR), and healthcare product provider Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ:HSIC). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of LUV, FSLR, and HSIC.

LUV Struggles to Capitalize on J.P. Morgan Upgrade

J.P. Morgan Securities upgraded Southwest Airlines stock to "overweight" from "neutral," and raised its price target to $66 from $60. This bullish note comes shortly after Southwest said it expects the impact of Hurricane Harvey to range between $40 million and $60 million, with Irma expected to deliver a similar blow. However, the shares are flat at $54.34 today, as LUV struggles to reclaim a foothold above its 40-day moving average.

At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), LUV carries a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.92, which ranks in the 80th percentile of all other ratings in its annual range. This indicates calls have been heavily favored over puts in the past 52 weeks.

First Solar Rallies from Key Trendline After Bullish Note

Deutsche Bank upgraded FSLR to "buy" from "hold" earlier, while raising its price target to $65 from $50. First Solar has been churning sideways since late July, but today the stock has popped 5.3% to $50.99 -- continuing its pattern of strong rallies after testing its 40-day moving average.

Despite the strong price action, FSLR's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.63 ranks in the 91st percentile of all other daily readings from the past 12 months. In other words, near-term options traders have rarely been more put-biased in the past 52 weeks.

Slumping HSIC Gains Ground on Upgrade

HSIC received an upgrade to "overweight" from "neutral" at Piper Jaffray, accompanied by a $3 price-target hike to $193, after Thursday's close. At last glance, HSIC was trading up nearly 4.3% at $84.01, though the stock is still down more than 10% from its early June high at $93.50. 

Short interest has been ramping up over the past two reporting periods for the healthcare product provider, rising nearly 56% to account for just over 3% of the stock's available float. What's more, HSIC's SOIR of 2.16 ranks in the 76th percentile of its annual range, indicating puts easily outnumber calls among near-term options.

U.S. stocks are trading higher this afternoon, with the Dow setting a new intraday record out of the gate. Among the names in the spotlight today are biopharmaceutical company Abeona Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ABEO), cruise line Carnival Corp (NYSE:CCL), and semiconductor stock Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of ABEO, CCL, and AMD.

RBC Thinks Abeona Therapeutics Stock Has Room to Run

Abeona Therapeutics stock is up 19% to trade at $16.66, after RBC Capital initiated coverage on the stock with an "outperform" rating and a price target of $23, citing the biotech sector's recent rally. The new target represents expected upside of 64% from ABEO stock's close of $14 yesterday. Further, RBC Capital named ABEO as one of its favorites among small-cap pharma stocks. Ranking as the second-best stock on the Nasdaq today, only behind Mirati Therapeutics stock, ABEO shares now boast a 242% year-to-date lead.

The biotech stock hit a three-year high of $17.25 earlier, and short squeeze could help ABEO shares climb even higher. Short interest represents nearly a third of the stock's total available float. At the equity's average daily trading volume, it would take more than a week to buy back the shorted shares.

Anything But Smooth Sailing for Carnival Stock

Analysts aren't as upbeat about Carnival stock, last seen down 4.9% at $65.37, after Credit Suisse downgraded the cruise stock to "neutral" from "outperform" and cut its price target to $70 from $78. The negative analyst attention is likely the result of fallout surrounding Hurricane Irma, which rocked the Caribbean and fueled CCL stock's worst weekly loss since February 2016 last week. The cruise stock is now poised to close below its 80-day moving average for just the third time this year.

Options traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have been upping the bearish ante of late. CCL's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 3.15 stands just 6 percentage points from an annual high.

Advanced Micro Devices Stock Gets Lift From NVDA

Trading 2.9% higher at $12.63 are shares of Advanced Micro Devices, likely thanks to a halo lift from NVIDIA stock, which is higher on upbeat analyst attention. AMD shares touched a 10-year high of $15.65 on July 26, but have since retreated to their 200-day moving average, which contained pullbacks in May. Nevertheless, Advanced Micro Devices shares are up more than 100% year-over-year.

Despite its long-term technical strength, options traders on the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX have purchased AMD puts over calls at a faster-than-usual clip of late. The stock's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 0.41 ranks in the 70th percentile of its annual range.

It was a banner week for U.S. stocks -- not to mention oil prices -- with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) currently pacing for a sixth straight win and a fourth straight record close. In fact, the blue-chip index is set for its best week of 2017, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) is aiming for its best week since April. Stock markets this week seemingly shrugged off escalating tensions with North Korea, which fired off another missile toward Japan, and celebrated reports of less damage than expected from Hurricane Irma. Also making noise this week were Apple's new iPhone, the Equifax saga, and a handful of drug stocks.

Apple Dips After Big iPhone Reveal

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite (COMP) enjoyed a big day on Monday -- continuing a recent trend of early-in-the-week rallies -- as traders waxed optimistic ahead of Apple's highly anticipated iPhone event on Tuesday. Apple options traders picked up out-of-the-money calls, and analysts bet on higher highs for AAPL shares.

However, the $999 iPhone X -- and its November release date -- initially failed to inspire Apple shareholders, as the stock ended lower for three straight sessions. The event also sent Energous stock spiraling lower, and sent Apple options volume into a frenzy. (Elsewhere, fellow FAANG member Alphabet could make noise with Google's smartphone event in a few weeks.)

Irma Damage Estimates Decline

Travelers stock started the week off strong, as insurance stocks attempted to stage a rebound amid the latest Irma-related damage estimates. However, one insurance name had a particularly bad week, after Mox Reports warned the shares could fall below $1 amid fraud accusations, and home-improvement retailers like Home Depot dipped. Further, Carnival stock continued to struggle after the hurricane rocked the cruise-friendly Caribbean, and several airlines cut their current-quarter outlooks.

Equifax the Next Enron?

Equifax remained in the headlines after last week's massive data breach. The credit reporting company was in the hot seat on Capitol Hill, with Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii taking to Twitter to ask about possible insider trading. While Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it is "one of the most egregious examples of corporate malfeasance since Enron," Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office requesting a probe into the company. Equifax is already being investigated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). EFX stock has dropped more than 25% in the past week, dragging down the shares of other credit agencies.

Drug Stocks Continue to Make Noise

It was another busy week for biotechs. Aldeyra Therapeutics and Aethlon Medical were among the small-cap healthcare stocks with huge gains, while Abeona Therapeutics was named one of RBC Capital's small-cap favorites. Among the big-cap pharmaceutical stocks making noise was Dow component Pfizer, which rallied to new highs. Option bulls came out for bluebird bio stock and this record-setting healthcare ETF, while this drug stock sent up a "buy" signal. However, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Mallinckrodt stock was slapped with a major price-target cut, and Intercept Pharmaceuticals hit a new low after ugly drug data.

September Fed Meeting on Tap

The Fed will take center stage next week, with the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) hosting its September meeting. Following the policy statement Wednesday afternoon, Fed Chair Janet Yellen will speak. While the central bank isn't expected to raise interest rates at next week's meeting, it seems the odds of a December rate hike are now above 50% following the latest inflation data -- a recent boon for bank stocks.