Sectors
Options Trader Sees No Happy New Year for Ailing Blue Chip

Options Trader Sees No Happy New Year for Ailing Blue Chip

Someone seems to think this year's worst-performing S&P 500 member won't have a happy New Year. Here's a breakdown of a large options trade in General Electric (GE): A block of 12,500 December 8 puts was sold for $0.79 and an equal number of December 7s was bought...

Options Trader Braves Volatility in Media Giant

Options Trader Braves Volatility in Media Giant

Damn the volatility -- full speed ahead. That seemed to be the message from one big options trader in Comcast (CMCSA) yesterday: A block of 5,669 23-November 35 puts was bought in the middle of the afternoon for just $0.02. Volume was below open interest, which...

Showdowns in Tech: Battle for the Cloud

Showdowns in Tech: Battle for the Cloud

The world of technology is all about disruption, and now a fight is brewing in the cloud. Microsoft (MSFT) is making serious efforts to enter the world of "cloud computing," the business of large companies using third-party servers and software instead of running...

Volatility Spreads to Retail as Bears Multiply

Volatility Spreads to Retail as Bears Multiply

Extreme gloom is spreading from technology to retailers. Target (TGT), Lowe's (LOW), TJX (TJX), Kohl's (KSS) and L Brands (LB) are all dropping today. Some missed earnings, others missed on same-store sales. Regardless, investors refused to give any the benefit of the...

This Chart Shows Just How Bearish Tech Has Gotten

This Chart Shows Just How Bearish Tech Has Gotten

Most clients know technology stocks are getting hammered. But just how bad is the selling? Pretty bad, it turns out, according to TradeStation's award-winning platform. This chart compares the Select Technology Index ($XLK.IV) to the Select Consumer Staples Index...

Brazil Bull Looks for Carnival Rally: Options Recap

Brazil Bull Looks for Carnival Rally: Options Recap

Someone's looking for a Carnival rally in Brazil's top bank, with the help of an unusual options strategy. Shortly after lunch on Friday, a trader sold 10,180 June 17 puts in Itau Unibanco (ITUB) for $3.58. At the same second, he or she bought exactly the same number...

These Guys Are Spending a Lot of Money

These Guys Are Spending a Lot of Money

Cannabis stocks, all the rage in September, just issued their results. And they're spending a ton of money. Just look at Tilray (TLRY), which rose more than a 1,000 percent after going public in the heart of the marijuana frenzy. Its revenue from growing pot rose 85...

Potential Support Zone at Play in Tech Giant

Potential Support Zone at Play in Tech Giant

America's biggest stock has taken a beating this month, but now some key support come into play. Apple (AAPL) is down 15 percent since the end of October. It started falling after CEO Tim Cook said he would stop disclosing the number of iPhones sold, and kept dropping...

Are There Winners from the Selloff in Oil?

Are There Winners from the Selloff in Oil?

Oil just had its biggest drop in at least four years, and winners may be emerging. Airlines are one of the best-performing groups recently, according to TradeStation's uber-useful RadarScreen® app. They've risen 3 percent in the last week and 6 percent in the last...

Bears Are Digging for Downside in This Space

Bears Are Digging for Downside in This Space

Bears are digging for downside in gold miners, one of the worst-performing major industry groups this year. More than 23,000 December 11 puts were bought yesterday in Barrick Gold (ABX). The first blocks changed hands for $0.10 but premiums rose to $0.12 as the bids...