Market Insights
Opportunity knocks for those with trading in their DNA.
Curiosity creates opportunity. Insights create strategy. Born traders create their destiny.
The Stock Market Is Tightening Into a Range as Traders Wait for More Fed News
Stocks are squeezing into a tight range as investors weigh the risks of inflation and more interest-rate hikes. The S&P 500 slid 0.3 percent between Friday, February 10, and Friday, February 17. It was the index's second straight negative week after hitting a...
An Unexpected Positive in Housing
There was a rare green shoot in housing today. Mortgage applications for buying a home rose 7 percent last week (seasonally adjusted), according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. It was the biggest gain since an increase of 10 percent in mid-April. Another report...
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...
Don’s Notebook July 11, 2018
The June Producer Price Index (PPI) of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was announced at 8:30am ET. Services and metals are factors in June's producer price report where all three headline indexes -- overall, less food & energy, less food & energy &...
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....
Technology & Communication
FireEye Rallies from Lows, Just in Time for Cybersecurity Month
October is cybersecurity month, and a pioneering stock in the industry has come to life. FireEye (FEYE) has rallied 15 percent in the last two weeks and is having its best month in more than two years. A combination of takeover speculation, improved results and...