Today's stocks to watch include Caterpillar Inc. (CAT), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), and Vitae Pharmaceuticals Inc (VTAE)
U.S. stocks are
set to open lower this morning, as traders react to blue-chip guidance, the latest economic data, and a
dismal day in Europe. Among equities in focus are construction equipment producer
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), chipmaker
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), and biotech stock
Vitae Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:VTAE).
- Dow component CAT is down 2.1% in pre-market trading, after lowering its first-quarter earnings and revenue guidance, while leaving its full-year outlook unchanged. Caterpillar Inc. is ahead 9.4% in 2016, as of its Wednesday close at $74.34, and recently broke through its 200-day moving average for the first time since late 2014. However, today's expected pullback could delight the growing crop of option bears. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the equity's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 3.11 represents an annual high.
- AMD is in talks to license its graphics technology to Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), according to Bloomberg reports, sending the chipmaker up 4.9% ahead of the open, after closing at $2.63 on Wednesday. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. has been on an upswing since mid-February, and has added nearly 23% already in March. At the moment, 16 out of 20 brokerage firms rate the stock a "hold" or worse, leaving the door open for potential upgrades to propel AMD higher. Also, more than 16% of the security's available float is wrapped up in short interest -- worth almost 14 days of trading, at AMD's typical daily volume -- indicating plenty of buying power on the sidelines.
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