All three indexes are headed toward weekly and monthly gains, though
Stocks are mixed at midday, with volume light ahead of the long holiday weekend. At last check, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are modestly lower, as trade talks between the U.S. and Canada near today's deadline, and recent comments from President Donald Trump accelerate already rocky trade relations with the European Union and China. On the flip side, the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) is making healthy gains on the back of outperforming tech stocks. Despite the choppy price action, all three indexes are on pace to mark weekly and monthly wins.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- Behind Coca-Cola's $5.1 billion bid for this Starbucks rival.
- How Apple is boosting this penny stock.
- Plus, Big Lots' big miss; the retail stock hitting records; and TATT stock extends downward spiral.
Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE:BIG) is seeing an unusual surge in options volume today, after the company early this morning reported a second-quarter miss and lowered its full-year profit forecast. BIG stock is down 9.2% at $43.47, and roughly 9,500 puts and 1,900 calls are on the tape, 10 times its usual intraday volume. Most active is the September 42.50 put, followed by the January 2019 45- and 50-strike puts.
Retailer Tilly's Inc (NYSE:TLYS) is near the top of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today, soaring on the back of the company's second-quarter earnings beat. The shares were last seen up 7.8% at $22.23, fresh off a record high of $23.71. TLYS has been an outperformer on the charts, more than doubling in value over the past 12 months, with its 40-day moving average serving as support since mid-May.
One of the worst performers on the Nasdaq today is T.A.T. Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:TATT), after the Israeli-based industrial company swung to a second-quarter loss. TATT has been in a long-term downtrend since mid-2017, with its 40-day and 50-day moving averages acting as resistance. TATT is down 8.3% at $6.55 -- earlier hitting a two-year low of $6.50 -- bringing its year-to-date deficit to 36.7%.