The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is up triple digits at midday, as traders weigh an unexpected jump in jobless claims against solid earnings from JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) and rebounding oil, which has pushed Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) higher. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) is also in the black today, regaining its foothold above the 1,900 level. Meanwhile, traders are digesting comments from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, who said it may take longer than expected to reach the Fed's 2% inflation target, as well as a sixth straight drop in import prices.

Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:

• Why GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO) and this supplier are panning new lows.
• Is the Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) losing streak coming to an end?
• Plus ... Checking in on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.

Sprint Corp (NYSE:S) is among the stocks with unusual option volume, with puts crossing the tape at 21 times their average intraday rate, bringing the day's put/call volume ratio to a staggering 67.77 -- an annual high. However, most of the action is attributable to a block of more than 62,000 January 2016 5-strike puts being sold to close, per Trade-Alert. S is trading up 3.1% at $3.20 today, after hitting an all-time low of $3.05 on Wednesday. 

Among the winners on the Big Board today is financial holding company JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), last seen 1.8% higher at $58.37, after reporting strong quarterly financials before the market opened this morning. However, the stock still has a way to go before erasing its 2016 deficit of 11.5%.

GoPro supplier Ambarella Inc (NASDAQ:AMBA) is among the worst performers on the Nasdaq, shedding 11% to trade at $39.69 -- a new annual low -- on the headwinds of GPRO's latest news, and after garnering a few bearish brokerage notes of its own. More downgrades could easily send AMBA even lower, but that's just what short sellers are hoping for.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is down 1 point, or 3.9%, at 24.25.

Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 1.55, with puts outnumbering calls. However, both SPY calls and puts are running at about 1.5 times the average intraday pace. SPY was last seen 1.8 points, or 1%, higher at $190.71.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)​ futures are more than 300 points below fair value this morning, with stocks getting hammered as oil prices tank. February crude futures have plummeted 5.7% to $29.42 per barrel, marking oil's lowest price since November 2003. Fresh losses for stocks in China are also stoking the bearish mood, as is disappointing revenue growth from one of the biggest tech names on the Dow. As a result, the DJIA is currently at risk of erasing all of Thursday's big gain.

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

• Why bears are taking a hard look at these 2 biotech stocks. 
• The brokerage firm betting on record highs for Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX). 
  
• The catalyst behind one solar stock's worst day in months.  
• Plus... bank stocks get slammed, analysts punish a struggling retailer, and the start of a bear market in Shanghai.
  

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are more than 310 points below fair value.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

 

1. Stocks are lower across the globe today, with China officially entering a bear market.
2. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 1.53 million call contracts traded on Thursday, compared to 1.25 million put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio fell to 0.82, while the 21-day moving average rose to 0.74. 
3. Chip giant Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) has tumbled more than 6% ahead of the open, as the company's stronger-than-forecast fourth-quarter earnings were offset by a slowdown in data center revenue growth. As a result, INTC is now at risk of closing below its 200-day moving average for just the second time since early October.
4. Bank stock Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) is off 3.5% in electronic trading, despite topping analysts' profit and revenue expectations in the fourth quarter. C earned an adjusted profit of $1.06 per share as legal expenses dropped, while revenue jumped to $18.64 billion. However, with Dow futures broadly lower ahead of the open, stocks across the banking sector are getting slammed pre-market, with names like JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) set to pare Thursday's gains.
5. After tumbling nearly 10% yesterday on dismal holiday sales, Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY) has shed another 3.1% in pre-market action today. A round of negative analyst notes is exacerbating the stock's slide, led by a Wedbush downgrade to "underperform" from "neutral."

Earnings and Economic Data

Today's calendar features the producer price index (PPI), core PPI, retail sales, industrial production, business inventories, and the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment index. New York Fed President William Dudley will round out the week's central bank speeches.

Bank earnings continue to roll in. Wells Fargo (WFC), U.S. Bancorp (USB), PNC Financial (PNC), BlackRock (BLK), and Regions Financial (RF) will report. To see what's coming up on next week's agenda, click here​.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is down 405 points at midday, as traders digest a mostly gloomy docket of economic data -- with both 2015 retail sales and January's Empire State manufacturing index hitting their worst levels since 2009. Fresh losses in oil are also weighing on U.S. stocks, as is the official start of a Chinese bear market. With anxiety rising over a potential influx of Iranian imports, February crude futures were down 5.3% at $29.55, and exploring new 12-year lows.

Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:

• Why JPMorgan Chase & Co. is giving back its earnings gains.
• GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO) gets hammered again.
• Plus ... Checking in on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.

Among the stocks with unusual option volume today is casino concern Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN). Options are trading at three times their typical intraday volume, with calls outnumbering puts nearly 2-to-1. Traders appear to be buying to open the weekly 1/22 54.50-strike call -- which is currently in the money, as WYNN is trading up 8.9% at $56.07 on the heels of a well-received preliminary fourth-quarter report. However, WYNN is still sitting on a 19% loss for 2016. 

Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ:PRGS) is on the relatively short list of winners on the Nasdaq at midday, up 3.5% at $25.89 on reports that the company may be exploring a sale. After sliding lower through the second half of 2015, PRGS is finally trading back above last October's earnings-related bear gap.

Among the worst performers on the Dow today is Walt Disney Co (NYSE:DIS), last seen off 4% at $95.19. Concerns over the company's ESPN division brought the stock a downgrade to "underweight" at Barclays. The security has lost about 21% of its value since late November, despite the record success of its latest "Star Wars" film.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 4.1 points, or 16%, at 28.01 -- a level not seen since late September.

Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 1.69, with puts significantly outnumbering calls. SPY was last seen down 4.7 points, or 2.4%, at $187.22.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) snapped back from a brutal Wednesday, tacking on triple digits on the back of an energy rally that sent components Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) sharply higher. Also stoking traders' risk-on appetite was an earnings-induced rally from blue chip JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), as well as dovish remarks from St. Louis Fed President James Bullard. Meanwhile, the broader S&P 500 Index (SPX) clawed out of correction territory (albeit barely), and the small-cap-rich Russell 2000 Index (RUT) also bounced -- but not before plumbing two-year lows and briefly taking out the key 1,000 level.

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

• The sentiment signal not seen since March 2009.
• Ahead of front-month expiration, Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) traders are eyeing this key level
• How these 3 financial firms stack up on earnings eve.
• Plus ... jobless claims pop, inflation anxiety, and 4 lessons from an original floor trader.
  

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 16,379.05) surged 227.6 points, or 1.4%, as 28 of 30 blue chips ended higher. Leading the way were energy stocks CVX and XOM, up 5.1% and 4.6%, respectively. Only Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) and Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) settled in the red, slipping 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,921.84) popped 31.6 points, or 1.7% -- and out of correction territory. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP - 4,615.00) added nearly 89 points, or 2%, to outpace its peers.
  
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX - 23.95) slid 1.3 points, or 5%, but closed atop its 10-day moving average for the 10th straight session.

5 Items on Our Radar Today:

1. U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly increased last week to a seasonally adjusted 284,000, but remained south of the crucial 300,000 mark for a 45th straight week -- the longest streak in more than 40 years. Meanwhile, import prices fell for a sixth consecutive month in December, resulting in a full-year drop of 8.2% -- the biggest decrease since 2008. (Reuters, via CNBC) 

2. St. Louis Fed President James Bullard warned that the "worrisome" decline in inflation expectations may prompt the central bank to rethink its timetable on future rate hikes. "For me, inflation expectations are a key factor and if they continue to decline I would put increasing weight on that," he said. (Reuters)

3. Two biotechs catching the attention of put players.

4. Why SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ:SCTY) could be in trouble, on and off the charts.

5. Schaeffer's contributor Adam Warner pays tribute to his father with these four options trading lessons.

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Commodities:

Crude prices bounced back amid short-covering activity, and in the process snapped a streak of eight straight daily losses. This, despite speculation that sanctions against Iran will likely be lifted, potentially exacerbating a global supply glut. By day's end, February-dated futures were up 72 cents, or 2.4%, at $31.20 per barrel.

Rebounds in oil and stocks weighed on gold, dimming the appeal for "safe haven" strategies. Gold for February delivery lost $13.50, or 1.2%, to settle at $1,073.60 per ounce -- its largest one-day decline in about a month.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down nearly 537 points at its intraday low, but despite trimming a portion of those losses, the index settled south of the 16,000 level for the first time since late August. Fueling the bloodbath was yet another 12-year low for crude oil, a bleak milestone for China stocks, and two key economic indicators back at 2009 lows. Meanwhile, the broader S&P 500 Index (SPX) landed back in correction territory, and the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) plunged to another two-year low.

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

• Will stocks be able to buck their bearish MLK week history?
• Bearish bettors once again flocked to these 2 tanking oil majors.
• How upbeat earnings and a key trendline could help Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) snap back.
• Plus ... e-tailers force Wal-Mart's hand, one biotech stock's 50% dive, and gold gains from today's brutal sell-off.
  

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 15,988.08) finished the week on a brutal note, plunging roughly 391 points, or 2.4%. All 30 blue chips ended lower, paced by a 9.1% decline at Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) in the wake of earnings. On a weekly basis, the Dow lost 2.2%.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,880.29) surrendered 41.6 points, or 2.2%, while the Nasdaq Composite (COMP - 4,488.42) plummeted 126.6 points, or 2.7%. Relative to last Friday's close, the SPX and COMP fell 2.2% and 3.3%, respectively.
  
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX - 27.02) shot up about 3.1 points, or 12.8%, for its highest close since late September. However, for the week, the market's "fear gauge" edged up only 0.04%.

5 Items on Our Radar Today:

1. It was a rough day on the data front. Retail sales edged 0.1% lower in December, as expected, to cap their weakest year since 2009, with a total gain of 2.1% for all of 2015. Meanwhile, weakness in the mining and utilities sectors pressured industrial output to a steeper-than-forecast -- and third straight -- monthly drop. (Bloomberg Business; Reuters) 

2. Retail colossus Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) announced it will be closing 269 stores, or about 2% of its global outlets, due to mounting competition from online retailers. About 16,000 employees, including 10,000 in the U.S., will be impacted by the decision. (The New York Times)

3. How the FDA sparked a more than 50% sell-off in this biotech stock.

4. Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:ABX) defied the market meltdown, as traders sought out safe-haven investments.

5. Analysts are piling on as GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO) extends its run lower.

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Commodities:

Crude got crushed amid expectations that sanctions will be lifted on Iran -- allowing the nation's oil into an already oversupplied market -- and concerns about the state of China's economy. Oil prices hit a fresh 12-year low, wrapping up the worst two-week stretch since the 2008 financial crisis. By day's end, February crude futures were down $1.78, or 5.7%, at $29.42 per barrel. On a weekly basis, oil fell 11.3%.

The global stock rout proved to be a boon for gold -- though the precious metal's advance was contained by concerns about another rate hike, heightened by hawkish remarks from New York Fed President William Dudley. Specifically, February-dated gold added $17.10, or 1.6%, to settle at $1,090.70 per ounce -- but edged 0.7% lower week-over-week.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)​ futures are indicating a triple-digit gain out of the gate -- and should climb back atop the key 16,000 level -- as traders cheer GDP data from China. In addition, Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) is headed higher after reporting earnings, while Dow component Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is up in electronic trading after announcing job cuts.

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

• The decision that cut this drugmaker's value in half. 
• As it trades near annual lows, are analysts starting to give up on this biotech?
  
• Why a media conglomerate sold its entire stake in this video game name. 
• Plus... China's economy expands, an upbeat Barron's article, and M&A in the healthcare sector.
  

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are about 225 points above fair value.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

 

1. Solid gross domestic product (GDP) data from China is lifting global stocks.
2. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 977,462 call contracts traded on Friday, compared to 1.1 million put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio jumped to 1.14, while the 21-day moving average rose to 0.77. 
3. Shares of BAC are up 2% ahead of the bell, after the banking giant said its fourth-quarter earnings of 28 cents per share beat analysts' estimates, even as its $19.53 billion in sales fell short of the consensus forecast. Ahead of the event, the options market was banking on a much bigger post-earnings move from BAC.
4. Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) is eyeing a 2.3% gain in pre-market trading, after Barron's over the weekend said the company could net a 35% profit on the sale of several of its core assets, including its stakes in Yahoo! Japan and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA). Activist investors have been putting pressure on YHOO in recent weeks to make big changes.
5. In the latest biotech news, Acorda Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ACOR) has made a tender offer to purchase Finland-based Biotie Therapies Oyj (ADR) (NASDAQ:BITI) for roughly $363 million, in order to secure BITI's Parkinson's disease drugs. ACOR is up 0.3% ahead of the bell, while BITI is set to soar 89%.

Earnings and Economic Data

Traders return from the long weekend with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) housing market index, as well as Treasury International Capital (TIC) data. 

On the earnings front, International Business Machines (IBM), UnitedHealth Group (UNH), Netflix (NFLX), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Charles Schwab (SCHW), Cree (CREE), and Delta Air Lines (DAL) are all slated to report. To see what else is coming up on this week's agenda, click here​.

Bulls have returned from the long weekend with renewed vigor, and at last check, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was up 70 points and back above the psychologically significant 16,000 mark. Helping to boost the blue-chip barometer is well-received earnings from UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH), as well as encouraging data out of China. However, the Dow and the S&P 500 Index (SPX) -- which is attempting to buck this week's historically bearish bias -- are off their session highs, as oil prices have turned lower.

Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:

• Should we be more worried? Schaeffer's contributor Adam Warner investigates.
• The scenario that could send Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO) soaring, courtesy of Barron's.
• Plus ... Checking in on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.

Among the stocks with unusual put volume today is Sarepta Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SRPT), with the contracts crossing the tape at 11 times what's typically seen at this point in the day. At last check, shares of the biopharmaceutical firm were off 5.3% at $13.52 -- thanks to some negative analyst attention -- and option traders are betting on the stock to sink into single digits over the next several weeks. Specifically, buy-to-open activity has been detected at SRPT's February 10 put, the equity's most active option thus far.

Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) is one of the leading laggards on the Big Board today, down 5.1% at $64.31 -- and fresh off a two-year low of $62.90. The high-end jewelry retailer offered up a dismal full-year forecast earlier, and subsequently received price-target cuts from Oppenheimer (to $78) and Nomura (to $90).

Viacom, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIAB) is among the best performers on the Nasdaq today, amid calls from activist investor Eric Jackson for a company wide shake-up, including the resignation of Executive Chairman Sumner Redstone. Most recently, shares of the entertainment issue were up 5.5% at $42.04 -- and on pace to close north of their 32-day moving average for the first time since late November.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is down 3.1% at 26.18.

Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 1.80, with puts nearly doubling calls. SPY is up 0.8% at $189.26.

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)​ futures are bracing for a triple-digit pullback -- and a move back below 16,000 -- as crude's collapse continues. Oil earlier fell to its lowest level since September 2003 on oversupply fears, and February futures were last seen 2.9% lower at $27.65 per barrel. Meanwhile, traders are weighing a steep sell-off overseas, earnings from a pair of Dow components, and drops in the consumer price index (CPI) and housing starts.

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

• Why SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) bulls need this technical level to hold.
• 3 stocks that sank ahead of last night's controversial PBS documentary.
• How option traders are playing Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) ahead of earnings.
• Plus... Global stocks tank, 2 blue chips headed lower, and a potential new home for Apple stores.
  

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are 272 points below fair value.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

 

1. Crude is taking a toll on global stocks, dragging one major index into bear-market territory.
2. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 809,527 call contracts traded on Tuesday, compared to 503,120 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio plunged to 0.62, while the 21-day moving average held steady at 0.77. 
3. International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) is down more than 5% pre-market, as the tech powerhouse's earnings beat is being overshadowed by weak guidance for 2016. The expected drop, which could be exacerbated by a round of price-target cuts from no fewer than seven brokerage firms, would put IBM in five-year-low territory.
4. Meanwhile, fellow blue chip Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) is pointed 1.7% lower ahead of the bell -- and could test its annual lows -- despite the bank's better-than-expected quarterly results. Weighing on sentiment is a $5 billion mortgage-backed securities settlement, which ate into the financial firm's profit -- resulting in a third consecutive quarterly drop.
5. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has filed an application with the Indian government to open stores in the country. Prompting the expansion plan are concerns about slowing smartphone sales in AAPL's two biggest markets, the U.S. and China.

Earnings and Economic Data

Brinker International (EAT) and F5 Networks (FFIV) will step up to the earnings plate today. Elsewhere on the corporate front, CarMax (KMX) will host its annual analyst day. To see what else is coming up on this week's agenda, click here​.

Coming off its best week of 2016, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA)​ is set to backpedal, with Dow futures trading below fair value. Earnings will again be in focus -- headlined by blue chip McDonald's Corporation (NSYE:MCD), which is surging ahead of the open after strong results. However, homebuilder D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI) is looking at a drop following its quarterly report, while a big-name oil services stock is also pointed lower after earnings. Elsewhere, traders are gearing up for this week's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, and are keeping a close eye on oil, as March-dated crude futures fall 3.1% to $31.20 per barrel. 

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

• Schaeffer's contributor Adam Warner explains why the only thing we have to fear is a lack of fear.
• A new strategic partnership helped this oil stock shrug off a $1 billion loss.
• What pressured American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) to a three-year low.
• Plus...  Asian stocks get a boost, Twitter execs hit the road, and where Ford's closing its doors. 
  

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) are 60.5 points below fair value.

5 Things You Need to Know Today

 

1. Stocks in Asia got a lift on fresh stimulus hopes. 
2. The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 845,652 call contracts traded on Friday, compared to 542,233 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio edged down to 0.64, while the 21-day moving average moved down to 0.75. 
3. Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) is bracing for a 4.5% drop when the market opens. The stock is hurting on news that four top executives are leaving the company, according to a tweet from CEO Jack Dorsey -- and additional headwinds are possible on the sentiment front.
4. Oil-and-gas issue Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL) is poised to open 2.2% lower, following the company's fourth-quarter earnings release. While earnings topped analysts' forecasts, revenue came in lower than expected. Ahead of the report, volatility expectations for HAL were unusually high.
5. Despite posting record-breaking numbers in the U.S. and China in 2015, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) is going a different direction in Japan. The automaker is shuttering operations in both Japan and Indonesia, where it's struggled recently. Shares of F are up 0.4% ahead of the open. 

Earnings and Economic Data

The lone economic report of note today is the Dallas Fed's manufacturing index. To see what else is on this week's agenda, click here​.

Bears have forcefully regained control of the market today, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) staring at a 400-plus-point loss at midday -- and easily surrendering its short-lived perch atop 16,000. Things aren't much better for the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (COMP), either, with the former lingering near levels not seen since October 2014 and the latter down nearly 3%. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), meanwhile, is beginning to show signs of life -- up 14.3%.

Sparking the day's sell-off is a steep drop in oil -- which also sent global markets tumbling -- with February crude futures sinking to 12-year lows on concerns of a global supply glut. Disappointing earnings from a handful of big-cap names are only exacerbating the selling pressure, with International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) wallowing in red ink following their respective results. 

Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:

• Is it time to buy these 3 travel stocks?
• The news keeping Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) above water.
• Plus ... Checking in on the VIX, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.

Among the stocks with unusual call volume today is General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), with the contracts crossing at 14 times the average intraday pace. According to Trade-Alert, the majority of the action is apparently a result of one trader closing a January 2017 30-35 long call spread ahead of the company's turn in the earnings confessional later this week. Most recently, the blue chip was off 3.3% at $27.55.

Wynn Resorts, Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN) is one of the leading laggards on the S&P 500 Index today. It's already been a tough year for the shares, thanks in part to disappointing casino data out of Macau, with WYNN down 23% in 2016. Today, the shares are off 10.2% at $53.16, but finding support in the $50-$52 region -- an area that's helped contain pullbacks since October. ​

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MCHP), meanwhile, is bucking the day's bearish bias -- up 2.5% at $42.72 -- after the firm announced plans to buy Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ:ATML). In addition, B. Riley followed in the recent footsteps of Morgan Stanley, and raised its price target on the semiconductor stock to $61.50 -- never-before-seen territory.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 3.7 points, or 14.3%, at 29.78.

Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 1.57, with puts outpacing calls. What's more, SPY put volume is running at nearly twice the average intraday rate. SPY is off 2.6% at $183.21, and south of this critical area.

Following last week's strong finish, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is attempting to recover from an early triple-digit loss, sparked by fresh weakness in oil prices -- with March crude futures last seen 4.5% lower at $30.75 per barrel. Dow component Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT) is also leading the index south in the wake of a bearish Goldman Sachs note. CAT's loss of more than 4% is offsetting post-earnings gains and a record high at fellow blue chip McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD). Elsewhere, the Dallas Fed manufacturing survey tanked to its lowest level since April 2009, with the Texas economy crippled by energy weakness.

Continue reading for more on today's market -- and don't miss:

• The tech stock getting swarmed by bears ahead of earnings.
• What Friday's VIX implosion means for stocks.
• Plus ... Checking in on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and other noteworthy stats at midday.

Among the stocks with unusual put volume today is tech firm NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR), with the contracts trading at 13 times the expected intraday rate. The most active strike is the out-of-the-money March 17 put, which may be seeing buy-to-open activity. At last check, NCR is 2.1% higher at $20.96.

The biggest loser on the Nasdaq is drugmaker Oncomed Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:OMED), following a downbeat drug update, as well as a downgrade to "market perform" and a price-target cut to $11 at Leerink. At last check, the shares have plunged almost 46% to trade at $9.54, and are fresh off a record low of $9.15.

One of the noteworthy winners on the Big Board is precious metals producer Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:ABX), up 6.2% at $9.11. Strength in gold futures continues to boost the commodity stock, amid a weaker dollar and global economic worries.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is up 0.8 point, or 3.5%, at 23.13.

Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 1.49, with puts easily outstripping calls. At last check, SPY is off 1.5 points, or 0.8%, at $189.00.

After starting the day strong, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) pared its gains throughout the day -- and briefly turned negative -- but ended back above the 16,000 level. Oil reversed its early lead and fell to a new 12-year low, curbing the enthusiasm generated from solid UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) earnings and data out of China.

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

• 5 stock market indicators at extremes. 
• How activist attention is shaking up these 4 stocks.
• Option traders are honing in on this key level for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
• Plus ... A bomb scare in New Jersey, a very bad day for Twitter Inc, and the documentary spooking 3 vitamin suppliers.
  

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA - 16,016.02) added 27.9 points, or 0.2%, with 16 of the 30 blue-chip components ending the day in the black. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) were among the biggest losers, dropping a respective 1.5% and 2.6%, due to sliding crude oil. UNH, meanwhile, led the winners on a strong earnings report, adding 3%.

The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 1,881.33) added 1 point, or 0.1%, after a seesaw session. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP - 4,476.95) finished the day in the red, down 11.5 points, or 0.3%.
  
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX - 26.05) closed 1 point, or 3.6%, lower.

5 Items on Our Radar Today:

1. According to a University of Michigan report, the percentage of U.S. residents holding a driver's license has decreased over the past several decades. The study shows the largest decline among younger age groups, and attributes the change to increased urbanization, use of public transportation, and ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft. (MarketWatch)

2. Eleven New Jersey schools were either evacuated or put on lockdown today, reportedly due to bomb or shooting threats. Police reported that they did not believe the threats to be credible, but took steps to clear each affected school. (CNBC)

3. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) has a new plan to attract music lovers.

4. How technical difficulties led to a very bad day for Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR).

5. An upcoming documentary is casting doubt around these 3 dietary supplement concerns.

Data courtesy of Trade-Alert

Commodities:

After climbing 1% early in the day, oil reversed course, plunging to yet another 12-year low by the close. Continued oversupply worries sent February-dated crude oil down 96 cents, or 3.3%, to $28.46 a barrel.

Chinese stimulus hopes in the wake of the latest GDP data weighed on gold. As a result, February gold futures dropped $1.60, or 0.1%, to settle at $1,089.10 an ounce.