Stocks
Stocks Keep Climbing as Confidence Builds

Stocks Keep Climbing as Confidence Builds

Stocks keep inching higher as confidence builds. The S&P 500 rose 0.6 percent between Friday, August 10, and Friday, August 17. It was the seventh positive week in the last eight, and the second-highest weekly close in history. The big stories are the U.S. economy...

Not All Tech is Rolling Over

Not All Tech is Rolling Over

Earlier today, Market Insights highlighted the general weakness in technology. But there's one huge exception to that statement: Apple (AAPL). Tim Cook's smart-phone behemoth made a new high this morning, and has set new records in nine of the 13 trading sessions this...

Tech and FANG Languish as Sentiment Shifts

Tech and FANG Languish as Sentiment Shifts

FANG seems to be losing its mojo along with the rest of tech as sentiment shifts in the market. FANG, if you don't know, stands for Facebook (FB), Amazon.com (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX) and Alphabet (GOOGL). This grouping accounted for a big chunk of the market's gains...

Turnarounds Get Rewarded: Earnings this Week

Turnarounds Get Rewarded: Earnings this Week

Investors like turnaround stories. That seems to be the message from the last week of corporate earnings. Consider two major retailers: Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) and Macy's (M). Both beat analysts' estimates, but moved in two very different directions. Why? It was all...

Retailers Blitz Higher Amid Earnings

Retailers Blitz Higher Amid Earnings

Forget about Turkey and tariffs. Bulls are flocking to U.S. retailers this week. Tapestry (TPR) and Advance Auto Parts (AAP) are leading the charge today. TPR, parent of Coach and Kate Spade, shot past estimates on strong hand-bag demand. The resulting 13 percent...

Volatility and the Dog Days of Summer

Volatility and the Dog Days of Summer

Earlier today, we highlighted the spreading risk of global debt and currency problems. But what does it mean for the chart most of us really care about, the S&P 500? Here are some thoughts. First, the U.S. index is in the midst of its longest weekly winning streak...

Big Moves in Small Tech

Big Moves in Small Tech

Lots of attention obviously focuses on the biggest stocks, but results from smaller companies have been arguably better this earnings season. This post will review some of those lesser-known names, especially in the e-commerce space. A big one is Match (MTCH). The...

Are Buyers Returning to This Forgotten Corner of Tech?

Are Buyers Returning to This Forgotten Corner of Tech?

Disclosure: This post is intended for educational purposes only and isn't intended as a trade recommendation. Most traders love technology stocks. Did you know that a long-forgotten group in the space is ripping higher this month? We're talking about fiber optics....

Consumer Stocks Drift Higher Before Events

Consumer Stocks Drift Higher Before Events

Consumer stocks on the rise, just in time for a series of important news events. Of all the major sector-tracking SPDR ETFs, consumer discretionary (XLY) is closest to its 52-week high. (See RadarScreen® below.) That shows bullish sentiment toward the group and may...

Vix under Siege as S&P 500 Fills January Gap

Vix under Siege as S&P 500 Fills January Gap

The S&P 500 hit its highest level since late-January as the index fills a "bearish gap." Remember, gaps are patterns on candle-stick charts that show a security jumping up or down from one price zone to another without any transactions between the two. That leaves...