Dow Jones Industrial Average
Continue reading for more on today's market, including
- Schaeffer's Senior Trading Analyst Bryan Sapp on
what pushed
the markets to record highs today; plus the chart of the day on
AOL, Inc. (
AOL
).
- In case you missed it, here's what
fear in the markets
means for both Google Inc (
GOOG
) and Apple Inc. (
AAPL
).
- How the record run by GOOG has option bulls
swarming
weekly calls.
plus...
- The markets hit unseen heights, new data supports the housing
recovery, and bullish option traders changed direction on Cisco
Systems (
CSCO
).
The
Dow Jones Industrial Average
is now in unprecedented territory, notching a new all-time closing
high today, and surpassing its record intraday high set on Oct. 11,
2007. Sparked by positive data on home prices and service sector
growth, the Dow gained nearly 126 points, or 0.9%, to finish at
14,253.77. The 30-member Dow saw 27 companies advance, led by Cisco
Systems (
CSCO
), which climbed 2.3%. Coca-Cola (
KO
) paced the two decliners, falling 0.4%. Alcoa (AA) was
unchanged.
The
S&P 500 Index (SPX)
climbed nearly 15 points, or 1.0%, to close at 1,539.79, after
touching a five-year peak of 1,543.47 in intraday trading. The
Nasdaq Composite (COMP)
gained 42 points, or 1.3%, to finish at 3,224.13. Earlier in the
session, the tech-rich COMP topped out at 3,227.31 -- in territory
not charted in 12 years.
The
CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX)
fell 0.5 point, or 3.8%, to close at 13.48.
3 Things to Know About Today's Market
:
- The housing market continues to
show signs of improvement
, with average existing home prices climbing a year-over-year
9.7% in January, according to CoreLogic.
(Los Angeles Times)
- The Army and other agencies have started alerting workers and
unions to
potential layoffs
and furloughs as the so-called "sequester" -- the automatic $85
billion federal spending cuts -- kicks into place this week.
(CNN Money)
- The ISM non-manufacturing index
increased
by more than expected, another potential sign that the economic
recovery is gaining legs.
(MarketWatch)
5 Stocks We Were Watching Today
:
- Despite an overall bearish trend toward Cisco Systems (
CSCO
) recently, traders today
went heavy
on calls on the IT equipment maker.
- Groupon Inc (GRPN) saw
new bearish option trades
, despite a recent rebound in its share price.
- Semiconductor maker Cree (CREE) hit new highs today and was
immediately
targeted
by both option bulls and bears.
- One long-term trader
hit
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) with a
short strangle
, looking to cash in on potential stagnation.
- The recent run by Sirius XM Radio (SIRI) has some
bullish investors
thinking shares can reach new record highs in a few months.
For a look at today's options movers and commodities
activity, head to page 2.
Commodities
:
All the positive news on the markets was also good for crude,
which broke a three-day losing streak. Oil for April delivery added
70 cents, or 0.8%, to finish at $90.82 per barrel.
Gold also finished slightly up on the day, due to a softer U.S.
dollar. But all the moves into equities kept the gains to a minimum
-- April-dated gold ended up $2.50, or 0.2%, closing at $1,574.90
per ounce.
At the end of every market day, the staff at Schaeffer's
Investment Research reviews the trading day in detail, covering
major events and key market developments. Don't miss this
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