Market Insights
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The Nasdaq Pushes Weekly Highs. Are Rate Cuts in the Cards?
Stocks are nearing key highs on optimism the Federal Reserve is finished raising interest rates. The S&P 500 rose 2.2 percent between Friday, November 10, and Friday, November 17. It was the third consecutive positive week, landing the index back near peaks from...
Guess Who Out-traded Apple and Facebook Yesterday: Options Recap
Normally big tech companies dominate activity in the options market. But not yesterday. The busiest underliers, after all, are usually companies like Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB), Micron Technology (MU) and Nvidia (NVDA). But on Wednesday all of those were outdone by a...
Here Come Earnings
It's hard to deny sentiment is building for a strong earnings season. Depending on who you ask, profits are projected to rise more than 20 percent. While the estimates vary, direction is positive because all the research shows consensus figures climbing in recent...
Retail & Railroads: Options Recap
Here's a breakdown of some big options spreads from Tuesday. Both reflected continued optimism about the economy. First, a put ratio spread in the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT): A block of 50,000 27-July 48 puts was bought for $0.36. Some 100,000 27-July 47 puts were...
Are Stocks Headed for a Breakout?
We've written a lot about the S&P 500 holding a bullish trend line. Now another potentially key level could be at play for the index. A resistance level around 2800 has been in play since mid-March as equities rebounded from their violent swoon in February. Now...
Headlines Keep Pressuring Oil Higher
News events keep pushing oil higher. Last month, Iranian sanctions were the story. Now traders are focusing on a disruption in Norway as oil workers go on strike. Libyan supplies are also being kept off the market as civil war halves the country's crude production....
Traders Doubt Safety of Classic Safe Haven: Options Recap
So much for utilities being a safe haven. The SPDR Utility Fund (XLU) has risen about 6 percent in the last month, making it the top-performing major sector. But yesterday, traders braced for a potential selloff: A block of 75,000 September 50 puts in XLU was bought...
Technology & Communication
Apple Stuns as the IPhone Upgrade Cycle Takes Hold: Earnings This Week
Apple led a busy week of earnings by crushing estimates as users clambered for new iPhones. Most other companies also had strong results -- especially chip makers and industrials. The tech giant generated $65.6 billion of revenue from iPhones last quarter, up 21...