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Technical Analysis: Have Chipmakers Already Bottomed?

Technical Analysis: Have Chipmakers Already Bottomed?

Most people know that technology stocks ended 2022 on a weak note. But they may not realize one group started to outperform: chipmakers. The first pattern on today’s chart of the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index is the falling trendline along the highs of last year....

Fear Could Be Evaporating After Another Cool Inflation Report

Fear Could Be Evaporating After Another Cool Inflation Report

Inflation was lower than feared for the third straight month, and investors loved it. December's consumer price index (CPI) shrank 0.1 percent, compared with estimates for an unchanged reading. It followed cooler-than-expected readings for November and October,...

A Soft Landing? Why Stocks May Be Attempting a Turn as 2023 Begins

A Soft Landing? Why Stocks May Be Attempting a Turn as 2023 Begins

Stocks began the New Year with gains as investors see the potential for inflation to ease without a recession. The S&P 500 broke a four-week losing streak, rising 1.5 percent in the holiday-shortened period between Friday, December 30. Every major sector advanced,...

Options Alert: Trader Looks for More Upside in Chinese Tech Stock

Options Alert: Trader Looks for More Upside in Chinese Tech Stock

Chinese technology stocks have been jumping, and one options trader is positioning for the move to continue. Check out this unusual activity this afternoon in e-commerce company JD.com (JD): Some 5,000 February 70 calls were purchased for $4.01.At the same time, the...

Chart of the Day: Is Oracle Attempting a Breakout?

Chart of the Day: Is Oracle Attempting a Breakout?

Oracle has performed better than most technology and software companies, and now it may be attempting a breakout. The first pattern on today’s chart is the triangle that took shape in December. Prices ended 2022 slightly above the top, and buyers jumped in yesterday....

Worries About the Fed and Earnings Grew as 2022 Ended: December Recap

Worries About the Fed and Earnings Grew as 2022 Ended: December Recap

Stocks begin the New Year under a cloud of pessimism as investors brace for higher interest rates and lower earnings. The S&P 500 slid 5.9 percent in December, resulting in a 19 percent drop for all of 2022. It was the stock market's worst year since the 2008...

Rolling Options: Key Things for Traders to Know

Rolling Options: Key Things for Traders to Know

Editor's note: This post was originally published on Wednesday, December 23, 2020. "Rolling options" is a common transaction for options traders, but there are several ways to do it. This article will explain the different ways and reasons why traders might roll...

Key Points About Selling Credit Spreads

Key Points About Selling Credit Spreads

A previous post covered debit spreads, when you pay a debit looking for a stock or ETF to move in a certain direction. Credit spreads are just the opposite, with traders collecting premium up front in hope that the stock won't move a certain way. What a Credit Spread...

Greek of the Week: Gamma

Greek of the Week: Gamma

Editor’s note: This post, part of a four-part series about options Greeks, was originally published on Monday, August 20, 2018. We previously looked at delta. Delta measures how much an option changes in price when the underlying stock or ETF fluctuates. Calls...