IBM Puts Rise; Stocks Sink

Stocks are lower across the board Wednesday as Fed Chairman Greenspan
addresses Congress. Biotechs are the day’s top sector while semiconductors are
the weakest.

At mid-day, the VIX is up 1.23 to 30.26.

The OEX March 650 calls are down 4.80 to 12.00.

Among bigger movers on heavier-than-average volume:

IBM
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is down 2.19 to 100.40 as tech remains under pressure. The IBM
March 105 puts are up 1.30 to 6.80 on more than 7000 contracts.

Chips are down sharply, and that is pushing Novellus
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down 3 9/16
to 36 3/4. The Novellus March 35 puts are up 1 3/8 to 2 5/8 on
heavier-than-average volume.

Vitesse
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is off 4 3/16 to 39 3/8 while the VTSS March 45 puts are
up 2 1/4 to 7 7/8 on more than 5000 contracts.

Juniper Networks
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has fallen 4 15/16 to 58 5/8 while the Juniper
March 95 calls are down 1/4 to 15/16 on heavy volume of more than 10,000
contracts.