Market Insights
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Stocks Retreat: Dovish Hopes Fade Before Key Fed Meeting
Stocks have pulled back as investors brace for more hawkish news from the Federal Reserve today. The S&P 500 declined 4.2 percent in April, breaking a five-month winning streak that began in November. Selling was widespread across the index, with more than...
Bullish Option Strategy: Put Credit Spread
Traders sell a put option near the money and buy another at a lower strike. This strategy generates a credit, while limiting potential losses if prices decline. Learn more
Bearish Option Strategy: Long Puts
Traders buy a single put option on a stock or ETF. This strategy can benefit from a price drop while risking more capital than a spread. Learn more
Bearish Option Strategy: Call Credit Spread
Traders sell a call option near the money and buy another at a higher strike. This strategy generates a credit, while limiting potential losses if prices increase. Learn more
These Were Some of the Biggest Stories on Market Insights in 2023
We hope everyone's having a great holiday season. Activity is quiet in this week between Christmas and New Year's Day. So it's a good time to review the dramatic events of 2023. Keep reading Market Insights and following TradeStation on social media in the new year to...
The Other Shoe Never Dropped: 2023 In Review
The stock market is riding big gains as Wall Street enters the final week of 2023. If there's any way to explain the year, it might be that the "other shoe never dropped." After all, 2023 began on a grim note as investors worried higher interest rates would cause a...
Chart of the Day: Tight Price Action in Microsoft
Microsoft has paused this month as the Nasdaq-100 climbs to new highs. However, some chart watchers could look for the software giant to come off the sidelines. The first pattern on today’s chart is the December 1 close of $374.51, which became resistance. A daily...
Technology & Communication
Nvidia Is Sitting Quietly After Another Strong Report
Nvidia is the only member of the S&P 500 that's tripled this year. Now it's stuck near record highs as traders enter the home stretch into 2024. This chart highlights some a few patterns on the semiconductor giant. First, notice how prices have shown signs of...
Nasdaq and Tech Are Stabilizing as Investors Prepare for Earnings Season
Growth stocks and the Nasdaq-100 could be attempting a turn after six months of steady declines. The technology-heavy index rose 4.7 percent in the holiday-shortened week between Friday, July 1, and Friday, July 8. In absolute terms, the gain was smaller than two...
Call Volume Spikes in Nikola Before Shareholder Vote
After a big slide, one big options trader is looking for a rebound in Nikola. Large blocks of calls changed hands yesterday in the electric-truck developer. A block of 40,000 July 5.50 calls were bought for $0.22. The investor sold a matching number of July 6.50 calls...
Chart of the Day: Is it Prime Time for Amazon.com?
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...
Every Tech Company in the S&P 500 Fell Last Quarter — Except July’s Mystery Stock
The technology sector just had its worst quarter in 14 years. Every member declined in the period -- except for July's mystery stock. The SPDR Technology Sector ETF (XLK) fell 20 percent between March 31 and June 30 -- its worst quarterly performance since late 2008....