The DJIA is sitting on a triple-digit loss at midday
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is down today, with energy stocks Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) leading the laggards on sinking oil prices. At last check, September-dated crude futures are down 2.1% at $43.27 per barrel. Meanwhile, it's been merger mania on Wall Street, led by Verizon Communications Inc.'s (NYSE:VZ) deal to buy the core assets of Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO). Looking ahead, it's a busy week on the earnings front, with several blue-chip stocks reporting tomorrow, while the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will kick off its two-day meeting.
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Among the stocks with unusual option volume is fast food giant McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD), with calls trading at 13 times their usual intraday clip ahead of earnings tomorrow. MCD was last seen down 0.7% at $127.33.
Premium wine company Truett-Hurst Inc (NASDAQ:THST) is among the best performers on the Nasdaq today, though the catalyst is unclear. THST shares are up 24.7% at $2.40, and today's surge pushes the stock out of the $1.70-$1.80 range that had contained rally attempts since February.
Biotech Tobira Therapeutics (NASDAQ:TBRA) is among the worst performing stocks on the Nasdaq today, down 58.6% at $4.66 -- a new all-time low -- after announcing disappointing Phase II study results for its liver disease treatment. After this latest drop, TBRA has lost two-thirds of its value year-over-year.
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is yp 13.2%, or 1.6 points, at 13.61.
Today's put/call volume ratio on the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) is 2.60, with puts outpacing calls. SPY is down 0.5%, or 1 point, at $216.26.
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