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Bulls pivot back to energy: Midweek sector check

Bulls pivot back to energy: Midweek sector check

The S&P 500 is bouncing at its 50-day moving average as the market drifts into the dog days of summer. Here's a breakdown of the best- and worst-performing industries so far this week. Winners: Energy is surging with life as crude oil (@CL) rallies to a new...

Medical device giant targeted for breakout: Options recap

Medical device giant targeted for breakout: Options recap

Medical-device giant Medtronic (MDT) has gone nowhere for the last two years, but options traders are looking for a breakout. About 25,000 August 90 calls were bought on Tuesday for $0.74 -- pretty noteworthy for a company that averaged only 10,000 contracts per...

How a bull’s playing sneaker earnings: Options recap

How a bull’s playing sneaker earnings: Options recap

Last quarter iconic sneaker maker Nike (NKE) surprised to the upside. One big options trader seem to expect more good news  tomorrow night. Here's a breakdown of the complex, high-risk complex strategy that appeared yesterday afternoon: 4,100 6-July 73.50 calls were...

Traders, keep an eye on oil

Traders, keep an eye on oil

Oil is in the news today with crude futures at a potentially key level. The main item came this morning from the U.S. State Department, which took a hard line against Iran. Washington is reportedly demanding that companies stop shipping oil from the terrorist state by...

A look behind Monday’s wild ride

A look behind Monday’s wild ride

"Lows are never made on Friday." That old trader's rule of thumb seems truer than ever now. The basic idea is that when a week ends on a bearish note, some investors will capitulate over the weekend by submitting sell orders. Those inevitably trigger more selling...

How stocks may be signaling slower growth

How stocks may be signaling slower growth

Even before today's market tumble, stocks seemed to be dismissing good economic news. Most of the U.S. numbers, after all, have impressed recently. Measures of unemployment are still at multi-generational lows, manufacturing and consumer sentiment is through the roof....

Get ready for a summer snooze: Larry Williams Cycle indicator

Get ready for a summer snooze: Larry Williams Cycle indicator

Get ready for a sleepy July and a turbulent August. The Larry Williams Cycle Forecast Indicator sees the Dow Jones Industrial Average inching higher next month. Volatility's expected to remain at current levels over that time, but then spike in the first half of...

Pulling back or petering out?

Pulling back or petering out?

Is this a pullback to buy, or is the market petering out? That's the question traders may be asking today. The S&P 500 fell 0.9 percent between Friday, June 15, and Friday, June 22 -- its first drop in five weeks. The index remained in a tight range and is still...

Trump tariffs and chart patterns

Trump tariffs and chart patterns

Trump tariffs are back in the news today as the White House threatens duties on European cars. It's a good time to review the theme because at least two companies impacted by the President's trade posturing have some interesting chart patterns. First, General Motors...