An "All aboard!" signal from tech titans is derailed by other corporate confessionals and a not-so-gentle market trend. As of 10:55 ET the SP-500 (SPY) is shedding a few "early bulls" with its still mild 0.70% drop, while the Jones' and others reconsider "Dow 10K!"

Apparently consumers are still doing more than just "Windows" shopping and online browsing. Both Microsoft (MSFT) with its freshly launched Windows 7 OS and internet retailing giant Amazon (AMZN) are showing sizable percentage gains on the heels of their respective surprisingly strong beats and all-around good tidings.

For further details on today's "Tech Fest '09" investors should tune into CNBC throughout the session. Intraday, MSFT is up about 7% at 28.50, while shares of AMZN strong arm bears with its 22% gainer to 114 and levels just eclipsing its prior all-time-highs from those good ol' "dot.bomb" days.

Other notable "All aboard" style corporate confessionals include Honeywell (HON), some positive spin (CYCLE) from Whirlpool (WHR) and apparently Capital One (COF) being well-used and out of consumers wallets of late. My guess is Amazon and PCs are favorites in the Activity Summary section of those folk's monthly statements.

"All aboard?" For the bears, Burlington "Southern" (BNI) is heading south in a derailment pattern of 6.50% near 79. The railroad operator did manage to top consensus views by $0.14 on earnings of $1.42 per share. However, in a market more focused on future expectations after a historic and well-priced recovery by investors, the name appears to have come up short. Separately, but along the same lines, oil and gas (OIH) giant Schlumberger (SLB) is shedding about 4.50% near 65.50.

Also acting as incentive to schnitzel a little from Mr. Market (GS) and the broader averages, testimony this morning from Fed Chief Bernanke hasn't gone over too well with bulls. There weren't any fresh surprises per Briefing, but the message of improved financial conditions and institutions still in need of additional watchdog surveillance from lawmakers hasn't lifted spirits or prices. Intraday, the financial sector ETF (XLF) is off 1.00% at 15.15.

In other intertwined markets, Bernanke's pep talk may have given some life, umm "a pulse" to the lowly US Dollar (UUP), up 0.50% at 22.42. The currency continues to have the public support of Bernanke & Co. much to the chagrin of bulls stateside feeding their green shoots fancy on international profits. Separately, gold (GLD) and oil (USO) are off fractionally, while treasuries retreat in a similar manner but bid off session lows.

Finally, on that sometimes accurate heat-seeking option front the VIX cash is front in center for this market strategist. The market's "still" best gauge of confident bravado or fearful "sell at any cost" behavior is, in conjunction with the broader averages, affording an environment that's "complacently volatile."

As discussed in the latest Growth Stock Option column the seemingly contradictory description is a way of interpreting a still historically volatile market that's masked by the refusal of the broader averages to go down and late stage bulls compelled to chase.

When all is said and done after a typical trading day, the net result to individual stocks is a situation which poses much difficulty to traditional money management such as 7% to 8% stops outside the indices. Those wealth preserving measures are made much easier targets during any 1% to 2% price dramas such as Wednesday's last minute "Must See TV" on CNBC, as well as Friday morning's percentage price shellacking from the latest and not-so-greatest opening highs. "Profit From It?" I'd say that's made a bit easier with the use of other options not tying up the airwaves. Have a good weekend.

Chris Tyler
Senior Staff Writer & Options Strategist
Optionetics.com ~ Your Options Education Site
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The information offered here is based upon Christopher Tyler's observations and strictly intended for educational purposes only, the use of which is the responsibility of the individual.