All three major benchmarks are higher midday
Stocks are on the rise midday, with all three major indexes headed for weekly wins, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq eyeing their best monthly performance since 2020. Upbeat post-earnings responses from Amazon.com (AMZN) and Apple (AAPL) are giving the market a boost, while Wall Street is brushing off economic data showing June’s PCE price index rising to its highest level since 1982. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index came in at 51.5 for July, rising from June's record low of 50.
Continue reading for more on today's market, including:
- Procter & Gamble stock slipping after earnings.
- Why Roku stock is plummeting today.
- Plus, options bulls target CAT; TBLT soars on Ace Hardware deal; and NTRB plummets ahead of its stock split.
Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) is seeing a bullish options surge ahead of its second-quarter earnings report, due out after the market open on Tuesday, August 2. So far, 38,000 calls have crossed the tape, which is eight times the intraday average. The October 220 call is the most active, with new positions being bought to open there. At last glance, CAT was up 4% at $195.37.
One of the best performing stocks on the Nasdaq today is Toughbuilt Industries Inc (NASDAQ:TBLT), up 23.1% at $7.21, after the company signed a deal to sell its products at Ace Hardware stores. Moving off its recent June 22 record low of $1.34, the stock's 80-day moving average still lingers overhead on the charts. Year-to-date, the equity is down 86.9%.
Meanwhile, Nutribrand Inc (NASDAQ:NTRB) is taking a nosedive on the charts, down 28% at $5.59, after the company announced a seven-for-six forward stock split, effective Aug. 15. Landing on the short sell restricted (SSR) list today, NTRB is nearing penny stock territory.