TECHNOLOGY: NASDAQ Q125 Results

Johnson Redbook Retail Sales are up 5.5% Y/Y in March-to-date, following a 5.6% Y/Y rise in the week ending March 22. That's short of retailers' targeted 6.1% gain but is another solid reading in a series that tracks roughly 80% of the "official" Census Bureau series.

• It indicates continued Y/Y growth in the latter (was +3.1% on an adjusted basis in February) in March, defying a sharp deterioration in consumer sentiment per multiple surveys.
• However there were perhaps some cautionary signs to watch for end-month (March is a 5-week month for retailers, ending April 5), per the report: "Over the weekend, early indications showed that some retailers faced unfavorable comparisons in Easter sales. Next week, comparisons related to the Easter shift will become more challenging as stores compete against last year’s pre-Easter shopping week."
• On that note, Easter arrives three weeks later than last year.

ERZ5 98.50/98.75cs, sold at 1.75 in 30k.

• Another 5,000 SFRU5/SFRZ5 95.68/95.81 put spd spds, 0.25 (Sep over) at 0927:55ET, +9k total on day - adds to 23k on Monday