The week’s economic calendar wrapped up with the latest FedWatch probabilities showing a 98.6% chance that the Fed will keep rates steady in the 3.50-3.75% band at the June 18, 2026 meeting, while later meetings hint at possible cuts or hikes later in the year.
The CBOE VIX rose 6.78% to 18.43, indicating heightened volatility despite a still-neutral risk tier. AI-driven semiconductor flow remains bearish, with large put sweeps on NVDA, INTC, TSMC and a $30M TSMC 400-put sweep signalling institutional hedging.
Precious metals slid again; silver and gold proxies (SLV, GLD) fell as miners like USAR and MP attracted long-dated put sweeps, while dark-pool data showed modest accumulation but persistent price weakness.
Consumer cyclicals stayed pressured, led by TSLA, BABA and RCL, which saw multi-million-dollar put golden sweeps, though late-day call accumulation in TSLA and NKE hinted at possible short-term exhaustion.
Defensive sectors bucked the trend – healthcare and staples posted bullish call flow, highlighted by a $22.6M PEP call block and long-dated HUM calls, suggesting institutions are building defensive exposure.
Energy and solar led the upside, with call-heavy flow in FSLR, ENPH and SEDG, as crude proxies and XLE posted gains.
Market movers:
- Gainers: FIG (+0.13%), MICC (+0.11%), DXCM (+0.07%)
- Losers: F (-0.07%), NU (-0.06%), NTRA (-0.05%)
- Gap-ups: VG (+0.09%), RXO (+0.07%), FDS (+0.06%)
- Gap-downs: BE (-0.09%), COIN (-0.08%), F (-0.07%)
Recent earnings news includes a mixed bag of transcript releases and quarterly results across AI, biotech, clean tech and fintech, while social chatter on WallStreetBets highlighted Micron’s AI-trade debate, Micron’s stumbling share price, and a surge in Figma mentions.
The Fear & Greed Index currently sits at 62 (Greed), though crypto sentiment remains in 'Fear' (31) with a bearish bias among elite wallets.
Looking ahead, the earnings calendar features key releases from MUFG, Mizuho, Skeena, KalVista, Northern Dynasty and many micro-cap names through mid-May, providing further catalysts.
Overall, the market is navigating a fragile macro backdrop, with options flow pointing to both protective hedges and selective bullish bets across sectors.