"It was all about Cyprus and the potential run on their banks, and what that might mean to other European banks and potentially the entire financial system," said Schaeffer's Senior Technical Strategist Ryan Detrick, CMT, on a day that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) start slow and try in vain to overcome the European concerns. "In fact, this is all anyone has talked about since Saturday night when the news broke. How long this concern over whether this is the first domino to fall is anyone's guess."
Continue reading for more on today's market, including :
- Schaeffer's Senior VP of Research Todd Salamone discusses whether the S&P 500 Index (SPX) has gone "too far, too fast," and whether to sell once it has exceeded its 200-day moving average.
- Our Senior Trading Analyst Bryan Sapp on the market's resiliency in light of what happened overseas today; plus, a closer analysis of Illinois Tool Works ( ITW ).
- A look at how option traders bet that First Solar ( FSLR ) would move higher over the next month.
plus...
- The markets struggle and ultimately finish at a loss, Cyprus shuts down its banks amid severe bailout concerns, and Citigroup ( C ) gets targeted by bears as part of an overall banking sector slide.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) overcame a big drop in the morning but couldn't push past the Cyprus fears, eventually falling for the second straight session. The Dow lost 62 points, or 0.4%, to finish at 14,452.06 after being off roughly 110 points at its intraday low. The 30-member Dow saw just eight of its members advance, led by Hewlett-Packard ( HPQ ), which climbed 2.9%. The 22 decliners were paced by Boeing ( BA ), which fell 1.5% on news that it lost out on a $24 billion plane order to rival Airbus.
The S&P 500 Index (SPX) fell back as well, dropping nearly 9 points, or 0.6%, to close at 1,552.10. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) finished at 3,237.59, down more than 11 points, or 0.4%.
The CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX) gained 2.1 points, or 18.2%, to close at 13.36, its highest finish since March 6.
A Trader's Take :
"Given where futures were when they opened last night, you have to be very impressed with the market's resiliency yet again," Detrick said. "There was a lot of fear out there when this news broke on Saturday, but once again the bulls stepped up."
3 Things to Know About Today's Market :
- Officials in Cyprus closed the country's banks to prevent further runs after the government voted to impose a tax on savings accounts as part of a bailout package from the European Union. (CNNMoney)
- Confidence among home builders declined in March to the lowest levels since last fall, and fell short of economists' expectations. (MarketWatch)
- The proposed $20 million severance payout to the top official at American Airlines as part of its proposed merger with US Airways Group (LCC) has drawn concern from the trustee overseeing American's Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. (Los Angeles Times)
5 Stocks We Were Watching Today :
- Citigroup ( C ) traders looked for a short-term dip as part of an overall banking sector decline tied to the Cyprus crisis.
- Glu Mobile (GLUU) option traders looked to cash in on the stock's big rise on the charts today.
- Bullish traders targeted Lululemon Athletica (LULU) in advance of that company's earnings release later this week.
- Option traffic was still abuzz around Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (ULTA) after that company issued an earnings warning last week.
- Renewed talk of a possible merger between DIRECTV (DTV) and Dish Network (DISH) created a flurry of option trades last Friday, including a big bearish chunk aimed at a decline next month.
For a look at today's options movers and commodities activity, head to page 2.
Commodities :
Crude futures had their highest daily close since Feb. 20, as oil for April delivery gained 29 cents, or 0.3%, to finish at $93.74 per barrel.
Gold futures hit their highest point since Feb. 26 on renewed safe-haven sentiment. April-dated gold picked up $12, or 0.8%, to close at $1,604.60 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 critical, timely and insightful report. If you enjoyed today's edition of Market Recap, sign up here for free daily delivery straight to your inbox.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
