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Stocks Reverse Gains While Bond Yields Weigh on Tech

The 10-year Treasury yield jumped above 1.6% earlier today

Deputy Editor
Mar 5, 2021 at 12:14 PM
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The major indexes are giving back this morning's gains as investors brush off upbeat jobs data and focus on the 10-year Treasury yield, which continues to weigh on the tech sector after earlier topping 1.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is down nearly 130 points midday. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are also swimming in red ink, with the latter headed for its worst week since 2008. The Dow and S&P 500 are on track for weekly losses as well.

Wall Street is also eyeing several Covid-19 updates. Dr. Anthony Fauci has chimed in on state reopenings, expressing concerns over a continued surge in the virus and encouraging slower reversals of Covid-19 measures. Plus, the Biden administration has announced two new vaccination sites in Cleveland, OH and Atlanta, GA -- both capable of managing 6,000 shots per day. 

Continue reading for more on today's market, including:

  • It's been a dreary post-earnings day for this discount retailer
  • Western Digital stock rises on Goldman Sachs upgrade. 
  • Plus, Options bears target STNE; IMAX jumps after earnings; and analysts chime in on plummeting MDLA.

MMC0305

One stock seeing a surge in bearish options activity today is StoneCo Ltd (NASDAQ:STNE). So far, 32,000 puts have crossed the tape, which is 14 times what's typically seen at this point. The weekly 3/12 85-strike put is the most popular, followed by the 3/5 85-strike put, with new positions being opened at the former. At last check, STNE is down 8.2% to trade at $70.85, despite a price-target hike from Susquehanna to $105 from $74. 

One stock surging higher on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today is IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX). The shares are up 9.6% to trade at $22.70 at last check, after the Canada-based movie theater company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue, despite slightly wider-than-expected losses per share. In response, Benchmark raised its price target to $24. Today's pop has IMAX at a fresh annual high, up 28% year-to-date.

IMAX MMC

Conversely, the shares of Medallia Inc (NYSE:MDLA) are plummeting after its quarterly confessional. The equity is down 21% to trade at $29.75, after the company reported fourth-quarter losses of one cent per share -- in line with analyst estimates -- and better-than-expected revenue. Medallia's disappointing quarterly sales forecast is likely to blame for the steep pullback. Several analysts chimed in following the event. Stifel cut its price target by $2 to $40, while Craig-Hallum and Truist Securities raised theirs to $44 and $45, respectively. 

 
 

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