- Security tech plays are outperforming amid a 0.4% gain for the Nasdaq. The rally comes a day after the NYSE suffered a lengthy outage, United Airlines grounded flights, and the WSJ's site briefly went down.
- All three incidents have been blamed on tech issues rather than attacks/breaches, but questions linger. FBI director James Comey: "We do not see any indication of a cyber breach or cyber attack ... But again, in my business, you don't love coincidences." Ex-White House cybersecurity advisor Richard Clarke: "Right now, anybody who says they know for sure what happened before the forensic work has been done is kidding themselves."
- Also: In a bit of good PR/convenient timing for the group, representatives from the PureFunds Cyber Security ETF (HACK +1.6%) rang the NYSE's opening bell today. The NYSE says the event was booked months in advance.
- Standouts include CyberArk (CYBR +4%), FireEye (FEYE +2.7%), KEYW Holding (KEYW +5%), Fortinet (FTNT +2.4%), Check Point (CHKP +2.6%), Imperva (IMPV +2.9%), Zix (ZIXI +2.8%), Proofpoint (PFPT +2.7%), and Vasco (VDSI-OLD +2.5%). Barracuda (CUDA +2%) reports after the bell.