Stocks are poised to end the month and quarter on a reasonably high note. While the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) sits modestly lower, the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are confidently higher as investors unpack the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, which came in below estimates. CME's FedWatch now shows only a 35% chance of an interest rate hike next month.
Bond yields have cooled in response, though oil prices have perked back up, with front-month crude last seen 2% higher. There's also stronger-than-expected jobs data to weigh as well. The Dow is headed for a monthly and quarterly loss, while the SPX and Nasdaq are set to wrap up wins for September and the third quarter.
EQT Corp (NYSE: EQT) is seeing outsized attention in the options pits. At last look, over 47,000 contracts have changed hands, volume that's 3.3 times the average intraday amount. The October 50 put leads the way, while the November 52.50 put is also popular. EQT is down 0.3% to trade at $48.76 today, with a familiar floor at $48 stepping up. Year-to-date, the oil & gas concern is down 9%.
Capricor Therapeutics Inc (Nasdaq: CAPR) stock is scaling the Nasdaq today, up 12.5% to trade at $9.65, after the drug maker's duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment showed upbeat results in a late-stage study. Despite today's pop, CAPR is down 66.6% in 2026.
Constellation Energy Corp (Nasdaq: CEG) is on the other end of the aisle, down 3.8% to trade at $254.41. There's no known catalyst, but fellow data center power provider Vistra (VST) is also firmly in the red. CEG is nursing a 28.1% year-to-date deficit.
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