Market Insights
Opportunity knocks for those with trading in their DNA.
Curiosity creates opportunity. Insights create strategy. Born traders create their destiny.
Stocks
Options
Futures
Bulls in the China Shop? Options Surge Before Big Events
by David Russell | Jul 10, 2024
Options traders are getting active in Chinese technology companies like Baidu before two potentially important events. The first catalyst is at 8:30 a.m. ET tomorrow, when the U.S. Labor Department releases the consumer price index (CPI). It's the first reading of...
Margins, Pricing, Demand: The Stars Line Up for Automakers as Tesla Joins the ‘Big Three’
by David Russell | Oct 28, 2021
If there's one message from this month's earnings reports, it could be that "automakers are back." A powerful combination of forces seems to be lining up for companies like Tesla (TSLA), General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor (GM): Tight supply and broad demandImproving...
Megacaps Report This Week, But Small Caps Could Be Nearing a Breakout
by David Russell | Oct 26, 2021
Giant Nasdaq stocks like Apple and Amazon.com report earnings this week, but another corner of the market could deserve some attention. The Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) has made a series of higher lows since mid-August. Some chart watchers may consider that a bullish...
Technical Analysis: This Data Storage Company Is Breaking Its Downtrend
by David Russell | Oct 25, 2021
Seagate Technology has spent the last five months pulling back. But now it may be turning around. The main pattern on today's chart is the descending trendline that started in May and ran along the peaks of August and September. Notice how STX closed above that line...
Stocks Bounced Last Week, But Can They Overcome These Two Risks?
by David Russell | Oct 25, 2021
Stocks bounced again last week, but two potential risks may challenge investors. The S&P 500 rose 1.6 percent between Friday, October 15, and Friday, October 22. It was the third straight weekly gain following a sharp drop earlier in the month. The rebound brought...
Tesla and the VIX: Two Big Numbers Reached in Today’s Session
by David Russell | Oct 21, 2021
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...
Energy and Financials Are Crushing Technology as Reopening Accelerates into the Holidays
by David Russell | Oct 21, 2021
The reopening trade is back with vengeance, with investors shifting to energy and financials as coronavirus infections plummet into yearend. The SPDR Energy Fund (XLE) has gained 20 percent since the market peaked on September 2. Financials (XLF) are up 5 percent over...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Chart of the Day: Is it Prime Time for Amazon.com?
by David Russell | Jul 5, 2022
Amazon.com has retraced almost all of its pandemic gains. Is this an opportunity for buyers? Let's consider some chart patterns. First is the $101.79 level (split adjusted). It was a peak in July 2019 and a breakout area immediately before the coronavirus selloff in...
Are Bulls Coming Back to Ride-Sharing Stocks like Uber and Lyft?
by David Russell | Jan 22, 2020
Ride-sharing stocks like Uber and Lyft struggled after IPOs last year. Yesterday, the bulls seemed to think both have turned a corner. UBER shot to a five-month high after Morgan Stanley said core profitability was improving and management shed a money-losing Indian...
Big Banks Announce Strong Results as Earnings Season Begins
by David Russell | Jan 16, 2020
Earnings season is off to another strong start, thanks to big banks and financials. JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C) and Morgan Stanley (MS) all reported strong quarters. A combination of banking, trading and investment management drove the...
This Social Media Upstart Just Got a Lot of Attention in the Options Market
by David Russell | Jan 15, 2020
Suddenly the bulls are logging into Pinterest. The social-media upstart had record call volume yesterday as options traders positioned for a potential move higher. The activity came after a report showed growing user traffic. PINS' user base rose 9 percent to 82.4...
From Bear to Bull in a Few Months: Charting Tesla’s Stunning U-Turn
by William Owens | Jan 14, 2020
Never argue with price action. Look no further than Tesla for an example of why traders love technical analysis. If you haven't noticed, Elon Musk's electric-car disrupter made a dramatic U-turn last year. It's more than doubled since the summer, punishing short...