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Stock Gains Widen as Investors Hope for Lower Inflation
Money is flowing back into stocks as investors hope for a better inflation report this week. The S&P 500 rose 1.9 percent between Friday, May 3, and Friday, May 10. It was the third straight positive week. More than four-fifths of the index's members advanced,...
The Basics of Options
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let’s consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option’s Price Is Usually Called ‘Premium’ There are some...
Memory Tricks for Options Greeks Like Delta, Gamma and Vega
Options are complex instruments that can swing sharply in value. Traders may find the moves confusing, so this article will help explain key "Greeks" -- some of the most important factors impacting the price of options. Greeks are Greek letters used in complicated...
Bullish, Neutral, Even Bearish: 3 Ways Options Traders Can Use Covered Calls
Covered calls are one of the most common strategies for options traders. While many investors have heard of them, they may not realize that covered calls are highly versatile. This article will cover how the method can be bullish, neutral and even bearish. First,...
Calm Returns as Rate Fears Subside: Market Trends This Week
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Register for Market Trends here. Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 back above 50-day MA. MACD turns higher More index members above 20-day MA than above...
Bullish and Bearish: Key Points About Vertical Option Spreads
Vertical spreads are one of the most common strategies in the options market because they can generate leverage with limited risk. This article will consider key points about bullish and bearish spreads. Vertical spreads involve two "legs" on the same underlier to...
Chart of the Day: Oracle May Have Found Support
Oracle jumped to new highs almost two months ago. Now, after a pullback, the software giant may have found support. The first pattern on today’s chart is the gap higher on March 12 after earnings surprised to the upside. ORCL retraced the move and is starting to...
Stocks Could Be Stabilizing. How Do I Find Potential Opportunities?
The stock market is bouncing after a dip. Are any companies stabilizing as sentiment recovers? Today's article will consider a method for discovering potential opportunities. It uses TradeStation's EasyLanguage scripting tool to create a custom indicator, which can...
Stocks Claw Back from Losses as News Shifts and Yields Fall
Last week's news wasn't great, but it was good enough to stop the bears. The S&P 500 rose 0.5 percent between Friday, April 26, and Friday, May 3. At one point the index was down as much as 2 percent, only to snap back in the last two sessions. Yields also fell...
Stock Gains Widen as Investors Hope for Lower Inflation
Money is flowing back into stocks as investors hope for a better inflation report this week. The S&P 500 rose 1.9 percent between Friday, May 3, and Friday, May 10. It was the third straight positive week. More than four-fifths of the index's members advanced,...
The Basics of Options
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let’s consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option’s Price Is Usually Called ‘Premium’ There are some...
Memory Tricks for Options Greeks Like Delta, Gamma and Vega
Options are complex instruments that can swing sharply in value. Traders may find the moves confusing, so this article will help explain key "Greeks" -- some of the most important factors impacting the price of options. Greeks are Greek letters used in complicated...
Bullish, Neutral, Even Bearish: 3 Ways Options Traders Can Use Covered Calls
Covered calls are one of the most common strategies for options traders. While many investors have heard of them, they may not realize that covered calls are highly versatile. This article will cover how the method can be bullish, neutral and even bearish. First,...
Calm Returns as Rate Fears Subside: Market Trends This Week
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Register for Market Trends here. Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 back above 50-day MA. MACD turns higher More index members above 20-day MA than above...
Bullish and Bearish: Key Points About Vertical Option Spreads
Vertical spreads are one of the most common strategies in the options market because they can generate leverage with limited risk. This article will consider key points about bullish and bearish spreads. Vertical spreads involve two "legs" on the same underlier to...
Chart of the Day: Oracle May Have Found Support
Oracle jumped to new highs almost two months ago. Now, after a pullback, the software giant may have found support. The first pattern on today’s chart is the gap higher on March 12 after earnings surprised to the upside. ORCL retraced the move and is starting to...
Stocks Could Be Stabilizing. How Do I Find Potential Opportunities?
The stock market is bouncing after a dip. Are any companies stabilizing as sentiment recovers? Today's article will consider a method for discovering potential opportunities. It uses TradeStation's EasyLanguage scripting tool to create a custom indicator, which can...
Stocks Claw Back from Losses as News Shifts and Yields Fall
Last week's news wasn't great, but it was good enough to stop the bears. The S&P 500 rose 0.5 percent between Friday, April 26, and Friday, May 3. At one point the index was down as much as 2 percent, only to snap back in the last two sessions. Yields also fell...
Stock Gains Widen as Investors Hope for Lower Inflation
Money is flowing back into stocks as investors hope for a better inflation report this week. The S&P 500 rose 1.9 percent between Friday, May 3, and Friday, May 10. It was the third straight positive week. More than four-fifths of the index's members advanced,...
Chart of the Day: Oracle May Have Found Support
Oracle jumped to new highs almost two months ago. Now, after a pullback, the software giant may have found support. The first pattern on today’s chart is the gap higher on March 12 after earnings surprised to the upside. ORCL retraced the move and is starting to...
AI Boom Fades as Fundamentals Weaken: Earnings Recap
Most of the big earnings reports have now occurred, and so far they've done little to boost the market. Companies like Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), Netflix (NFLX), Caterpillar (CAT) and Intel (INTC) reported profits above Wall Street estimates. However...
Nasdaq Surges as Traders Buy the Dip Before Fed Meeting
Stocks are rebounding as key earnings beat estimates and investors get comfortable with fewer rate cuts. The S&P 500 rose 2.7 percent between Friday, April 19, and Friday, April 26. The Nasdaq-100 jumped 4 percent. Those were the biggest weekly gains for both...
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...
Stocks Pull Back Before Inflation Data and Earnings Season
Stocks began the second quarter with a pullback as investors worried about higher interest rates and geopolitical risk. The S&P 500 fell almost 1 percent between Thursday, March 28, and Friday, April 5. (Markets were closed on March 29.) It was the biggest weekly...
Chart of the Day: Are Regional Banks Turning Higher?
Regional banks had a big surge in late 2023. Now, after a period of consolidation, some traders may expect further gains. The first pattern on today’s chart of the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF is the falling trendline along the highs of January and early March....
Stocks Make a 3rd Monthly Record as Buyers Rotate Away from Growth
Stocks hit a new record for the third straight month in March, but there was significant rotation away from growth names and technology The S&P 500 rose 3.1 percent, outpacing the Nasdaq-100 by 1.9 percentage points. It was the biggest underperformance in the...
Chart of the Day: Palantir Stabilizes Above Old Highs
Palantir Technologies has advanced as investors embrace AI and non-government customers embrace its products. Is its current pullback offering an opportunity? The first pattern on today’s chart is the pair of rallies after the last two quarterly reports. Those may...
The Basics of Options
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let’s consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option’s Price Is Usually Called ‘Premium’ There are some...
Memory Tricks for Options Greeks Like Delta, Gamma and Vega
Options are complex instruments that can swing sharply in value. Traders may find the moves confusing, so this article will help explain key "Greeks" -- some of the most important factors impacting the price of options. Greeks are Greek letters used in complicated...
Bullish, Neutral, Even Bearish: 3 Ways Options Traders Can Use Covered Calls
Covered calls are one of the most common strategies for options traders. While many investors have heard of them, they may not realize that covered calls are highly versatile. This article will cover how the method can be bullish, neutral and even bearish. First,...
Bullish and Bearish: Key Points About Vertical Option Spreads
Vertical spreads are one of the most common strategies in the options market because they can generate leverage with limited risk. This article will consider key points about bullish and bearish spreads. Vertical spreads involve two "legs" on the same underlier to...
Stocks Could Be Stabilizing. How Do I Find Potential Opportunities?
The stock market is bouncing after a dip. Are any companies stabilizing as sentiment recovers? Today's article will consider a method for discovering potential opportunities. It uses TradeStation's EasyLanguage scripting tool to create a custom indicator, which can...
Options Alert: Traders Position for Potential Drop in Uranium Miner
Uranium miner Cameco has been stuck at an old high, and one big options trader is bracing for a potential drop as earnings approach. This large transaction was detected yesterday in CCJ, unfolding in several blocks over the course of the afternoon: Some 30,000 May 45...
Traders Have a Powerful Tool in OptionStation Pro
OptionStation Pro is a comprehensive and powerful platform designed to meet the needs of options traders. Its intuitive interface includes tools for viewing, analyzing and trading options. This free educational video explains how customers can load chains, browse...
Quadruple Witching Dates for 2024: How Can They Impact Stock and Futures Trading?
What Is Quad Witching? Quadruple witching is an event in financial markets when four different sets of futures and options expire on the same day. Futures and options are derivatives, linked to underlying stock prices. When derivatives expire, traders must close...
Strategies for Managing Risk With Options
Options can be risky because they're complex and typically expire worthless. However they can also help investors limit risk when used correctly. This post will consider four strategies that can reduce losses and enhance gains for ordinary investors. Bullish Call...
Stocks Make a 3rd Monthly Record as Buyers Rotate Away from Growth
Stocks hit a new record for the third straight month in March, but there was significant rotation away from growth names and technology The S&P 500 rose 3.1 percent, outpacing the Nasdaq-100 by 1.9 percentage points. It was the biggest underperformance in the...
Is Inflation Making a Comeback as the Fed Looks to Cut Interest Rates?
The stock market has been optimistic about inflation since late 2023, but price pressures may be returning as the Federal Reserve considers interest-rate cuts. The price of energy, shelter and materials have quietly risen in the last month. The increases follow months...
Quadruple Witching Dates for 2024: How Can They Impact Stock and Futures Trading?
What Is Quad Witching? Quadruple witching is an event in financial markets when four different sets of futures and options expire on the same day. Futures and options are derivatives, linked to underlying stock prices. When derivatives expire, traders must close...
Chart of the Day: Gold is Pushing $2,000
Gold has consolidated for more than two years, and now it may be inching toward a breakout. The first pattern on today’s weekly chart is the rally in October between roughly $1,812 and $2,000. That move broke a falling trendline from the summer when bond yields were...
Oil’s Fundamentals Could Be Weakening After a Big Surge
Energy stocks and crude oil were among the market's best performers in the third quarter, but fundamentals may be weakening. The sector started climbing in late June as Energy Department data showed crude-oil inventories remaining near long-term lows. The Strategic...
Chart of the Day: Will Crude Oil Run Again?
Crude-oil futures are having their worst week since March, but some traders might think about buying the pullback. The first pattern on today’s chart is the price area around 83.50. It represented the peak in December and April. It’s also near the spot where ... For...
What Are the Top Contracts for Futures Traders?
(This post was updated March 20, 2023.) Futures are derivatives that track products like the S&P 500, crude oil, Treasury bonds and gold. Traders use futures to position for rallies and drops, with the ability to place orders most times of the day. These extended...
Quadruple Witching Dates for 2023: How Can They Impact Stock and Futures Trading?
What Is Quad Witching? Quadruple witching is an event in financial markets when four different sets of futures and options expire on the same day. Futures and options are derivatives, linked to underlying stock prices. When derivatives expire, traders must close...
Futures 101: The Difference Between Trading Stocks and Futures
Not well-versed in the futures market? Scared about a new kind of advanced product? Here are some basic points to get started. Futures are different from traditional stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) because they track an index. You don't own anything. You...
Chart of the Day: Does ARK Innovation Have Downside Risk?
The ARK Innovation ETF has chopped in a range for the last two years, and some traders may expect a push back to longer-term lows. The first pattern on today’s chart is the rounded top in February and March. It was slightly below the peak of ... For more,...
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...
History Was Made This Week as Bitcoin ETFs Went Live
Bitcoin has existed as a digital asset for 15 years. This week, it took a big step toward mainstream finance when the first exchange-traded products launched in the United States. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved 11 exchange-traded funds...
Undercounting: A Potentially Bearish Twist to the Coronavirus Outbreak
Editor's note: This article was originally published on February 27, 2020. A new and potentially bearish twist is emerging in the coronavirus outbreak: the risk of health officials undercounting cases. "We could have it spread here in the United States and not be...
Technical Analysis: Bonds Fly a Potential Bearish Flag Before Key Economic Data
Bonds have been in a steady downtrend all year. And now, after a period of consolidation, the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF may be set to continue lower. This main pattern on this chart is the modest rebound over the last three weeks. Given the preceding four...
Bullish or Bearish? The S&P 500 Faces a Death Cross as It Tries to Break a Falling Trendline
The S&P 500 has been in a steady downtrend all year. That makes it a good time to assess the state of the index before the big Fed announcement later today. Bearish and bullish forces are battling each other on this chart. First you have the sharply falling...
With Volatility Increasing, Here Are Key Index-Based Futures and ETFs to Know About
Volatility has risen in the stock market, potentially increasing the importance of indexed products. This post will cover some basic points you may want to know. What Is Volatility? What is volatility, and why does it matter? Volatility measures how much a stock or...
Silver Attempts a Pre-Fed Breakout: Technical Analysis
Silver has been dead money since the summer as the U.S. dollar ripped higher. But now it’s attempting a breakout -- despite next week’s looming Federal Reserve meeting. Notice how the iShares Silver Trust (SLV) made a higher low on January 6 versus its nadir the...
The Dollar Is Dropping Sharply, Lifting Global Stocks and Commodity Plays
All of a sudden, weak-dollar trades are working. At least 26 foreign-country exchange-traded funds are outperforming the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 so far this year, according to TradeStation data. Producers of commodities like oil and metals, which tend to track the...