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Stocks Keep Climbing as Chips Falter and ‘Everything Else’ Advances
by David Russell | Oct 21, 2024
Chipmakers have led the market all year, but they could be losing their edge as investors position for new conditions into yearend. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ($SOX) dominated price action in the first half and remained the top performer through the end of...
Stocks Keep Advancing as Economic, Inflation Hopes Draw Investors Back to the Market
by David Russell | Aug 8, 2022
Stocks advanced again last week as inflation-wary investors keep inching back into the market. The S&P 500 rose 0.36 percent between Friday, July 29, and Friday, August 5. It was the third straight weekly advance, returning the index to its highest level in two...
Options Alert: Big Investor Adjusts Upside Trade In Ford Motor
by David Russell | Aug 5, 2022
Ford Motor has jumped as its business roars back to life, and one options trader is giving the automaker more room to run. Check out this unusual options activity in F this morning: Some 20,000 August 16 calls were purchased for $0.25 against open interest of 68,700...
Technical Analysis: Exxon Mobil Could Be Stalling
by David Russell | Aug 4, 2022
Energy stocks have dominated the market this year, but now the biggest of the bunch is showing signs of weakness: Exxon Mobil. The first pattern on today’s chart is the jump following strong quarterly results on July 29. While that may have been impressive, it soon...
Where’s the Fear? VIX Keeps Sliding as Big Events Fail to Lift Volatility
by David Russell | Aug 3, 2022
Cboe's "fear index" hasn't been showing a lot of panic lately. The Volatility Index ($VIX.X) declined steadily between mid-June and late July. That six-week slide was the longest negative streak since late 2019, according to TradeStation data. It's up slightly this...
Stocks Leapt Higher in July, But Will the Rally Continue this Month?
by David Russell | Aug 1, 2022
Stocks just finished their best month in over a year. Can they keep running in August? The S&P 500 climbed 4.3 percent in the week between Friday, July 22, and Friday, July 29. That helped lift the index 9.1 percent in July, giving the index its biggest monthly...
Chart of the Day: Chinese Electric Car Stock Rallies and Pulls Back
by David Russell | Jul 28, 2022
Most Chinese stocks remain well below their 52-week highs, but not Li Auto. Let's consider some of the patterns on the Beijing-based maker of electric cars and SUVs. First you have the level around $33. It was the opening price on December 3 when news of Didi's...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication

Technical Analysis: Netflix Shares Are Inching Toward a Big Price Gap
by David Russell | Aug 11, 2022
Does anyone remember Netflix? After losing three-quarters of its value between November and May, the streaming-video stock may be trying to claw its way back. The first pattern on today’s chart is the bearish price gap on April 20 after the business unexpectedly lost...

Should This Industry Replace Transports in Dow Theory?
by David Russell | Jan 8, 2020
Something weird is happening in the market: Transportation stocks are dead in the water as almost everything else rallies. This pattern runs contrary to "Dow Theory," one of the most cherished concepts in the history of investing. Created by journalist Charles Dow in...

5G, Chinese Stocks and the Bull Market Goes Mainstream? Some Things to Watch in 2020
by David Russell | Jan 6, 2020
A new decade just started. While history might not always follow neat chapters, the stock market does have phases. Let's consider some potential trends that could develop over the course of 2020. Bull Market 'Goes Mainstream?' The first big narrative could be that the...

Amazon.com, NIO and Other Movers You Might Have Missed in Late 2019
by David Russell | Jan 3, 2020
Today's the last session in the holiday season. It's a good time to review some interesting stories that might have escaped your attention in late 2019. Amazon.com (AMZN) and NIO (NIO) both surged on surprisingly positive news after Christmas. Others, like networking...

Semiconductors and Apple Just Led the S&P 500 to its Best Year Since 2013
by David Russell | Jan 2, 2020
Last year was dominated by technology trades as investors returned to their favorite corner of the stock market. Let's review some of the biggest movers. First of all, semiconductors ripped higher as orders rebounded. The industry may also remain in focus this year as...