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Horseshoes and Hand Grenades: Levels on the S&P 500

Horseshoes and Hand Grenades: Levels on the S&P 500

Ever heard the saying that "close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades?" It means coming close to a goal isn't good enough for most projects. But it can be good enough when it come to charting the S&P 500. Last week, for instance, Market Insights surveyed...

Retailers Blitz Higher Amid Earnings

Retailers Blitz Higher Amid Earnings

Forget about Turkey and tariffs. Bulls are flocking to U.S. retailers this week. Tapestry (TPR) and Advance Auto Parts (AAP) are leading the charge today. TPR, parent of Coach and Kate Spade, shot past estimates on strong hand-bag demand. The resulting 13 percent...

Tracking the Bears in China

Tracking the Bears in China

Global economic and financial issues are back in the forefront. Turkey's been the main story in the last week, but today China has some important headlines. Simply put, they're all negative. The country's economic reports for July had a triple-miss overnight:...

Greek of the Week: Delta

Greek of the Week: Delta

This is the first installment of a four-part series about options Greeks that will appear on Market Insights between now and Labor Day week. Some clients may be confused by options, especially their use of Greek letters. Delta, gamma, theta, and vega. How to remember...

Turkish Turmoil Fuels the Volatility Machine

Turkish Turmoil Fuels the Volatility Machine

Bulls made money, bears made money. Turkey got slaughtered. That's pretty much what happened last week. The S&P 500 began with a steady climb on Monday and continued higher into Tuesday. That's when the bulls made money. On Wednesday and Thursday, the index...

Volatility and the Dog Days of Summer

Volatility and the Dog Days of Summer

Earlier today, we highlighted the spreading risk of global debt and currency problems. But what does it mean for the chart most of us really care about, the S&P 500? Here are some thoughts. First, the U.S. index is in the midst of its longest weekly winning streak...

As Expected, Volatility Hits Global Markets

As Expected, Volatility Hits Global Markets

Just two days ago, Market Insights said that "traders hankering for volatility may want to keep an eye on currencies and crude oil." Both of those events are now playing out. Oil came first, tumbling to a three-week low hours after the post. This morning,...

Big Moves in Small Tech

Big Moves in Small Tech

Lots of attention obviously focuses on the biggest stocks, but results from smaller companies have been arguably better this earnings season. This post will review some of those lesser-known names, especially in the e-commerce space. A big one is Match (MTCH). The...

Options Recap: Traction for Major Automaker?

Options Recap: Traction for Major Automaker?

Is a well-known automaker ready to regain traction after skidding lower? One big investor seems to think so. A massive put sale was detected yesterday in Fiat Chrysler (FCAU), apparently reflecting a belief further downside will be limited. If the trader is right, he...