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Bears Target Consumer Heavyweight: Options Recap

Bears Target Consumer Heavyweight: Options Recap

Bears were moving in for the kill as a giant consumer staples firm prepared earnings. Procter & Gamble (PG), after all, has had anything but a strong track record. The parent of brands like Gillette, Pampers and Tide dropped fell after its last three quarterly...

Know Your Options: Diagonal Spread Targets Apple Volatility Crush

Know Your Options: Diagonal Spread Targets Apple Volatility Crush

One of the most predictable things in the market is time decay after a big event like earnings. Have you ever used a diagonal spread to capitalize on the change? Today we'll see how it's done. First, remember that option premiums attempt to factor in price swings. As...

Tech Falls as Earnings and Economic Data Disappoint

Tech Falls as Earnings and Economic Data Disappoint

Technology stocks took a hit last week, but the broader market still managed a fourth straight gain. The S&P 500 rose 0.6 percent between Friday, July 20, and Friday, July 27. That contrasted with the Nasdaq-100's decline of 0.7 percent. Sub-par earnings and...

Suddenly Tech Is a Margin Story

Suddenly Tech Is a Margin Story

Technology stocks are usually all about growth, but in the last few days costs have been the talk of the town more recently. Facebook (FB) is the big example, losing a record $119 billion of market value yesterday. Slower growth was part of the problem, but most...

Caution Reigns in Chip Space: Options Recap

Caution Reigns in Chip Space: Options Recap

Options traders are bracing against a drop in chip makers as earnings season marches on. Here's a breakdown a large bearish spread in the Market Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) yesterday: Roughly 22,000 September 100 puts were bought for $1.85. Roughly 22,000...

Tech Mixed, Industrials Strong: Earnings This Week

Tech Mixed, Industrials Strong: Earnings This Week

It was the best of times and the worst of times. The saying was seldom truer than the past week's earnings reports. Starting with the bad news first, there's one word everyone needs know: Facebook (FB). The social-media giant slammed into a wall of rising costs and...

Banks, Rails Climb as Rates Move Higher

Banks, Rails Climb as Rates Move Higher

Banks and railroads continue to advance as investors seem to focus on a strong U.S. economy. Banks and financials are the best-performing major sector in the S&P 500. The move comes after strong earnings from Bank of America (BAC) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM). Perhaps...

Oil Holds Its Ground Despite Bearish News

Oil Holds Its Ground Despite Bearish News

Something weird is happening in crude oil: It's not going down on bad news. Last night the American Petroleum Institute reported energy stockpiles rose by 629,000 barrels, versus an estimated drop of 3 million barrels. Numbers from the Energy Department were even...

Suddenly Industrial Stocks Are Ripping

Suddenly Industrial Stocks Are Ripping

While everyone has worried about tariffs and trade, a wave of positive news has emerged in the industrial sector. Last night's strong earnings report from CSX (CSX) was a case in point. America's third-biggest railroad operator rolled past estimates on the top and...