The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also stand notably higher
Strong earnings continue to boost sentiment on Wall Street, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) stands more than 190 points higher this afternoon, set for its third-straight win. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are also trading comfortably higher, boosted by better-than-expected reports from Tesla (TSLA) and the airline sector. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is slated to give a policy speech later today, while Snap (SNAP) will report financial results after the session's close.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- Wall Street pounced on Tesla stock after earnings.
- American Airlines predicts big quarter ahead.
- Plus, options traders blast UAL; Nucor hits post-earnings peak; and analysts downgrade casino stock.
Options traders are targeting United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) following the company's first-quarter earnings report. While UAL missed analysts' estimates, it did predict a profit for 2022 as travel demand ramps up. At last check, more than 128,000 calls and 39,000 puts have been exchanged, which is five times the intraday average. The September 60 call is home to the most activity, while new positions are being bought to open at the second most popular contract, the weekly 4/22 52-strike call. Last seen up 11.7% at $51.96, UAL has finally overcome its 12-month breakeven level. Year-to-date, United Airlines stock stands 19.3% higher.
Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) is one of the best performing stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today. The equity was last seen up 8.9% to trade at $184.36, following first-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street's forecasts. Nucor stock earlier hit an all-time high of $187.90. The 20-day moving average has helped NUE move up the charts, and the stock stands 59.1% higher in 2022.
Of the Nasdaq components, Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. (NASDAQ:MCRI) is one of the worst performers so far today. At last check, MCRI is down 14.1% to trade at $79.99, after Stifel and Jefferies each downgraded the stock to "hold," while the latter raised its price target to $90. The company yesterday reported better-than-expected first-quarter results, which boosted the shares to an all-time high of $94.26. Year-to-date, Monarch Casino & Resort stock is up 7.5%.