Market Insights
Opportunity knocks for those with trading in their DNA.
Curiosity creates opportunity. Insights create strategy. Born traders create their destiny.
Energy Stocks Pull Back But Are Still Leading This Year
Energy stocks have led the market this year, and now they've pulled back. The S&P Select Energy SPDR fund (XLE) jumped to $98.97 last Friday -- the highest level in almost a decade. It pulled back this week and touched $93.73 before bouncing. That was just $0.04...
6 Reasons Why Last Week’s Pullback Wasn’t All That Bearish
Stocks dipped last week, but there are several reasons why it wasn't terribly bearish. Stocks were overbought.The S&P 500 held important levels."Risk-on sectors" were strong."Safe havens" were weak.Investors are favoring smaller companies.The holidays are coming....
General Motors Is Accelerating as Pickups Drive Profit Surge
Electric cars have been a major story this year, but legacy automaker General Motors is also on the move. GM has taken off since the end of the summer as a combination of bullish forces drive its stock to the highest level in over two years. It marks a victory for CEO...
The End of FANG? Most Stocks Break Out But the Nasdaq Is Going Nowhere
Stocks hit new highs last week on hopes of a coronavirus vaccine, but major technology companies like Apple and Tesla went nowhere. Consider these points about the period between Friday, November 6, and Friday, November 13: The S&P 500 rose 2.2 percent and closed...
Strong Results, But Few Breakouts: Earnings This Week
Several companies reported earnings this week, but few broke out. Walt Disney (DIS), Cisco Systems (CSCO) and Applied Materials (AMAT) beat analyst forecasts but remained below recent highs. Less prominent companies including Chinese e-commerce firm Pinduoduo (PDD)...
Social Media Success Story: Align Technology Makes Braces Cool
Social media platforms like Snap and Pinterest spiked on higher engagement this earnings season. Another stock company to benefit was orthodontic company Align Technologies (ALGN). The maker of Invisalign has rallied more than 30 percent in the last month after...
Five Reasons Why Stocks Began November With a Giant Blastoff
Stocks began November with a monster rally, and there are at least five reasons why. The S&P 500, Nasdaq-100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average each had their biggest weekly gains since March. Technology stocks led the charge, along with health care and precious...
Technology & Communication
Tesla and the VIX: Two Big Numbers Reached in Today’s Session
Tesla and Cboe's volatility index -- the "fear gauge" -- closed at two important levels today. First, Elon Musk's electric-car maker ended the session at $893. That's slightly below the all-time record of $900.40 early this year. However it was the highest closing...
Options 101: Hedging With Ratio Spreads
This post is part of an educational series on equity derivatives. Want to learn more? Sign up for our Options Stars 2018 symposium in Chicago next month. Sometimes I love trading options so much I forget they were invented to be used in tandem with stocks. This post...
Your Favorite Sector’s Getting Reshuffled
Everyone loves tech. Did you know the sector's about to get reshuffled? Over the years, "technology" has become an increasingly ambiguous term. What do semiconductors have in common with phone companies? Why should routers and photocopiers get lumped alongside social...
Good Tech, Bad Tech: Options Activity Recap
Call volume spiked noticeably in two different technology stocks yesterday, with two very different meanings. Just look at Broadcom (AVGO). The chip maker went from a darling to a pariah two months ago by purchasing software maker CA (CA). Investors, confused by the...
Some Potentially Bullish Chart Patterns, Sept. 14
With volatility so low, it can be hard to find movement in the big indexes. So today we'll look at some individual stocks with potential opportunities. We found these using methods and tools highlighted in our weekly Market Action webinar. Be sure to sign up for...