Wall Street is looking to close out the week on a mixed note, though all three major benchmarks are heading for a third-straight weekly win. Tailwinds blew in today after the Fed's preferred inflation gauge boosted hopes of further cuts to interest rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJI) boasts a triple-digit midday lead and recorded another all-time high, while the the S&P 500 Index (SPX) is slightly higher, and the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) sits just below breakeven. Elsewhere, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) is on track for its third-straight losing week.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (Nasdaq: COST) is seeing higher-than-usual options activity after earnings. So far, 41,000 calls and 39,000 puts have been traded, or 7 times average intraday volume. New positions opening at all but two of the 20 most popular contracts, including the weekly 9/27 900-strike call that's leading the pack. COST was last seen 2% lower at $883.34, after the retailer posted fiscal fourth-quarter revenue that missed expectations due to tighter consumer spending on more expensive items as well as lower fuel prices. Now trading below the 20-day moving average that provided support following a drop from its Sept. 13 all-time high of $923.93, Costco stock still boasts a 34% yea-to-date gain.

Casino concern Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) is 4.9% higher at $50.75 at last look, and one of the SPX's best performing components. Shares are getting a boost from China's stimulus measures, which will help the company's five casinos located in Macau that generated $1.75 billion of its $2.76 billion in second-quarter revenue. Thanks to today's pop, LVS is now trading above its year-to-date breakeven mark.

Deutsche Bank initiated coverage on Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE: DELL) witha "buy" rating and $144 target price. Despite this, the equity is one of the worst on the SPX so far today, last seen down 3.2% at $122.49. Year over year, DELL, which just recently started trading on the broader-market index, is still up nearly 80%.

More By This Author: