Traders in the options markets are bracing for industry-wide volatility, with defensive options contracts drawing heavy attention for the VanEck Semiconductor ETF, the largest semiconductor ETF.
At 11:03 a.m. EST, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 81.23 points, or 0.19%, to 42,262.42, the S&P 500 gained 12.13 points, or 0.20%, to 5,909.41, and the Nasdaq Composite lost 25.66 points, or 0.13%, to 19,174.08.
Most megacap and growth stocks traded up, with Google-parent Alphabet rising 1% and Meta Platforms adding 1.2%.
Six of the 11 major S&P 500 sub-sectors rose, with Communication Services and information technology showing the biggest gains.