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Will Stocks Pause Near Highs Before Fed? 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 rises five straight days to test 4900. Price above Keltner Channel and near top of drawn...
Stocks Break Out as AI Boom Fuels Tech Rally
Stocks are breaking out to new highs as the Artificial Intelligence boom widens. The S&P 500 rose 1.2 percent in the holiday-shortened week between Friday, January 12, and Friday, January 19. The index closed at a new all-time high for the first time in over two...
Chart of the Day: Can Intel Keep Running?
Intel has been rallying on hopes of a turnaround, and some chart watchers may see potential for more upside. The first pattern on today’s chart is the series of lower highs since December 27. The chipmaker has tested the falling trendline over the last week. Could a...
Stocks in Channel Near Old Highs: 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 holds tight range 1.6% from record high Friday's last price was the index's highest weekly...
Stocks Set Another Record as Rates Fall and Earnings Begin
Stocks are nearing record highs as earning season begins. The S&P 500 rose 1.8 percent between Friday, January 5, and Friday, January 12. The index managed to hold a support level from mid-December and had its highest weekly close ever. The Dow Jones Industrial...
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...
Stocks Near Record Levels as Earnings Begin: 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 holds December 20 low, ended Wednesday 1% from record high 1/5 low near 50% retracement of December...
Stocks Pause Near Record Highs Before Inflation, Earnings
Stocks are pulling back as traders wait for key inflation data and the start of earnings season. The S&P 500 fell 1.5 percent in the holiday-shortened period between Friday, December 29, and Friday, January 5. It was the first drop in 10 weeks, ending the index's...
Tech, Housing, Inflation: Stock Market Trends To Watch in the New Year
The New Year begins with increased confidence that inflation and interest rates have peaked. What will that mean for the market? Here are some potential outcomes based on recent trends. New Growth Stocks May Go Mainstream The period after 2017 saw a flurry of initial...
Will Stocks Pause Near Highs Before Fed? 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 rises five straight days to test 4900. Price above Keltner Channel and near top of drawn...
Stocks Break Out as AI Boom Fuels Tech Rally
Stocks are breaking out to new highs as the Artificial Intelligence boom widens. The S&P 500 rose 1.2 percent in the holiday-shortened week between Friday, January 12, and Friday, January 19. The index closed at a new all-time high for the first time in over two...
Chart of the Day: Can Intel Keep Running?
Intel has been rallying on hopes of a turnaround, and some chart watchers may see potential for more upside. The first pattern on today’s chart is the series of lower highs since December 27. The chipmaker has tested the falling trendline over the last week. Could a...
Stocks in Channel Near Old Highs: 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 holds tight range 1.6% from record high Friday's last price was the index's highest weekly...
Stocks Set Another Record as Rates Fall and Earnings Begin
Stocks are nearing record highs as earning season begins. The S&P 500 rose 1.8 percent between Friday, January 5, and Friday, January 12. The index managed to hold a support level from mid-December and had its highest weekly close ever. The Dow Jones Industrial...
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...
Stocks Near Record Levels as Earnings Begin: 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 holds December 20 low, ended Wednesday 1% from record high 1/5 low near 50% retracement of December...
Stocks Pause Near Record Highs Before Inflation, Earnings
Stocks are pulling back as traders wait for key inflation data and the start of earnings season. The S&P 500 fell 1.5 percent in the holiday-shortened period between Friday, December 29, and Friday, January 5. It was the first drop in 10 weeks, ending the index's...
Tech, Housing, Inflation: Stock Market Trends To Watch in the New Year
The New Year begins with increased confidence that inflation and interest rates have peaked. What will that mean for the market? Here are some potential outcomes based on recent trends. New Growth Stocks May Go Mainstream The period after 2017 saw a flurry of initial...
Chart of the Day: Small Caps Are Leading to the Downside
Indexes of big companies like the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 neared record highs in July, but not the small cap Russell 2000. Today we’ll use a weekly chart to consider how it’s leading to the downside. The first pattern is the ... For more, please click here to view...
Fed Hammers Stocks to a Key Level as the Quarter Winds Down
Stocks are headed for a losing quarter after hawkish policy from the Federal Reserve hammered prices to a key level. The S&P 500 fell 2.9 percent between Friday, September 15, and Friday, September 22. It was the index's third straight losing week and its biggest...
Stocks Narrow as Traders Expect Fed Pause: Market Trends Today
Register for Market Trends here. Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 in neutral range before the Fed Bias may be to upside given: 50% retracement of move from 8/18 through 9/1 More index members above 20-day MA than above 50-day MA Faster MAs mostly above...
Will the Fed Signal a Pause? Investors Are Waiting
Stocks could be tightening into a range as investors wait for another big Federal Reserve meeting. The S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent between Friday, September 8, and Friday, September 15. It was the second straight negative week, and the second consecutive week that...
Chart of the Day: Are Chips Losing Their Edge to Software Stocks?
Semiconductor stocks have surged this year, thanks in large part to Nvidia. But they could be losing relative strength to software makers within the technology sector. Today’s main chart focuses on the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), which closely tracks the...
Breakout or Breakdown? Events This Week Could Set Market Direction
Stocks face major tests this week as investors brace for inflation data, a potential autoworker strike and the expected introduction of new iPhones. The S&P 500 fell 1.4 percent in the holiday-shortened week between Friday, September 1, and Friday, September 8....
Technology Rebounds as New Companies Rally In the Sector
Technology stocks are rebounding from a weak August as investors target a widening swath of companies like Intel and Western Digital. The S&P 500 rose 2.5 percent between Friday, August 25, and Friday, September 1. But technology stocks rallied 4.4 percent, their...
Energy Led in August as Higher Rates Dragged The Stock Market Lower
The stock market pulled back in August after a five-month rally. Energy was the only positive sector, thanks to rising oil prices. The S&P 500 was down 5.5 percent at its low on August 18, but rebounded to end the month with a 1.8 percent decline. More than...
Chart of the Day: Tesla Could Be Accelerating
Tesla skidded lower after its last earnings report on July 19, but now the EV giant could be turning a corner. The first pattern on today's chart is the dive toward $212 on August 18. It was the lowest level in more than two months, but TSLA gapped back to the upside...
Options Alert: Call Buyers Look for Top-Performing Energy Stock to Keep Running
Energy stocks are leading the market in 2022, and yesterday options traders were active in one of the top-performing names. Check out this large transaction in oil-and gas-driller Devon Energy (DVN): A block of 21,163 April 50 calls were sold for $6.78.The trader...
Quadruple Witching Dates for 2022: How Can They Impact Stock and Futures Trading?
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 or adjust positions. That...
Options Alert: Giant Neutral Strategy Targets Intel Following Sharp Drop
Intel's been dropping for nine months, but one big options trader is looking for the semiconductor giant to stabilize. This large transaction involving short calls and short puts occurred yesterday as INTC tried to hold its lowest level in over a year: 30,000 March 50...
Options Alert: Massive Call Volume Detected in Global Mining Giant
Metal stocks have jumped lately, and one options trader is apparently looking for upside in a key global producer. Check out this unusual activity in Vale (VALE), the Rio de Janeiro-based mining giant: 26,000 January 14 calls traded for $1.52.26,000 January 17 calls...
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...
Options Alert: Bulls Target Breakout In Financials as Earnings Draw Near
Financials kick off earnings season next week, and one options trader is positioning for a breakout in the entire sector. Check out this large transaction in the SPDR Financial ETF (XLF), which holds major names like JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Bank of America (BAC):...
Options Alert: Heavy Call Volume Appears in the Top Utility Stock
Utilities broke out to new highs yesterday, and an option trader targeted the biggest company in the sector. Check out the call unusual volume in NextEra Energy (NEE): A block of 17,919 December 90 calls traded for $1.A block of 17,919 March 100 calls changed hands at...
Options Alert: Another Mega Call Roll as Ford Motor Challenges the Historic $20 Level
Options traders are sticking with the same upside strategy as Ford Motor challenges multidecade highs. Here's the activity yesterday: Roughly 30,000 December 21.50 calls were sold for $0.10 against open interest of 10,601 contracts.A matching number of December 21...
Options Alert: Call Buyers Take the Wheel At Apple On Report of Self-Driving Electric Vehicle
Apple could launch a self-driving electric car in 2025, and options traders are loving it. Nearly 3.2 million calls traded in the iPhone maker yesterday, the highest total in 14 months. The volume focused heavily on short-term weekly contracts expiring today: More...
Grains Crash with Corn Glut Expected to Worsen
Grains are crashing on signs of a worsening commodity glut. CBOT Corn Futures (@C) dropped more than 6 percent halfway through Monday's session. The last time it fell that much was April 1, 2013, according to TradeStation's historical data. Wheat (@W) is down a...
Volatility Struck the Market in a Huge Way This Week
Just like a storm on a hot summer day, volatility struck the market in the last week. Between 1:26 p.m. ET on Thursday and 3:10 p.m. yesterday, the S&P 500 dropped 188 points. That was more than double its range for the entire month of July. The selling climaxed...
Yesterday Was a Session for the Record Books
Just like that, volatility returned to the stock market yesterday. The S&P was on pace for its best gain in almost two months, and then President Donald Trump began tweeting at 1:26 p.m. ET. "The U.S. will start, on September 1st, putting a small additional Tariff...
Oil Back Over $60 as Bearish Story Fades
Oil crashed less than two months ago as bearish factors piled up. Now the process seems to be going into reverse. Crude oil futures (@CL) held above $60 on Wednesday for the first time since May 22. The price also rallied through its 50- and 200-day moving averages in...
How the Federal Reserve May Signal a Rate Cut Today
Everybody's looking for the Federal Reserve to signal an interest-rate cut today. The central bank issues its policy statement at 2 p.m. ET -- one of the most important events this week. It could be even bigger than usual because Fed watchers are looking for a key...
Futures Trading Coach: This Is How Low Crude Oil May Fall
Bearish technicals and fundamentals could spell more downside for oil. That's the view from John Hoagland at TopstepTrader. Crude-oil futures (@CL) may extend their recent slide to about $45.50, according to his analysis of recent price action. It closed around $51...
Greenback on the Brink as Fed Meeting and G20 Approach
The U.S. dollar seems to be teetering before some events with the potential to drive it lower. The U.S. dollar index (@DX) has spent most of 2019 between 95 and 97.75. It broke down quickly from those highs in early June and is now squeezing into a potential triangle....
Oil Leading Commodity Selloff as Tariffs Hit Sentiment
Oil's crashing as supply-and-demand worries hammer commodity prices. Crude oil futures (@CL) are down 3.2 percent in afternoon trading. If the move holds, it will be @CL's biggest decline of the year. Copper (@HG), another economically sensitive product, fell to its...
Futures Trading Coach: These Two Rules Dominated Tuesday’s Markets
Two general rules dominated futures markets on Tuesday, according to John Hoagland at TopstepTrader. When a contract opens "in value" from the previous session, traders should consider waiting for it to test the outside of its recent range. This applied to Nymex WTI...
4 Ways to Find Opportunities in the Stock Market at Any Time
The stock market is always changing. That's especially true at times like the present, when investors are finding opportunities in new companies or returning to long-abandoned sectors. This post will help traders keep up with shifts in sentiment. It will describe some...
FANG Stocks Are Lagging, But Smaller Companies Are Breaking Out
The highest profile technology stocks have been lagging, but a new set of smaller companies appears to be breaking out. The Russell 2000 small-cap ETF (IWM) has risen more than 6 percent in the last week. The Nasdaq-100, dominated by huge names Apple (AAPL) and...
ESG Stocks Like Solar Energy Are Leaving FANG in the Dust
Something interesting is happening in technology. "ESG" stocks like solar energy are breaking out as megacaps like Apple and Alphabet drift. The Invesco Solar Energy ETF (TAN) shot 3 percent above its previous 52-week high yesterday. Of the 40+ thematic funds tracked...
Powerful Tools Built Into TradeStation: Moving Averages and Index Members
TradeStation's platform is famous for letting customers build their own tools. But did you know it also includes hundreds of useful indicators with special purposes, available free to everyone? Our servers constantly track major indexes like the S&P 500,...
Housing Stocks Have Barely Flinched as Technology Stocks Plunged
Housing stocks have barely dropped this month, even as volatility swept the broader market. The iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) closed yesterday just 2.6 percent below its 52-week high. The S&P 500 in contrast, is almost 8 percent below its peak. The...
Bearish on Tech Stocks like Apple and Amazon.com? Check Out These Options Strategies
Major technology stocks like Apple and Amazon.com are reeling this month. Here are some options strategies to know if you’re getting bearish. This article will cover: Bearish put spreadsCollar tradesHedging with ETFs You might want to check this earlier...
5 Sports Betting Stocks to Watch Before Football Season Begins
Barely two years ago, sports betting was legalized in the United States. Now investors are getting excited about sports-betting stocks with football season less than a month away. Roundhill Sports Betting ETF (BETZ) hit a record price yesterday and has made new...
Big Shifts Could Be Happening as the Stock Market Keeps Climbing a Wall of Worry
Stocks began August on a strong footing, with some potentially big changes happening in the market. The S&P 500 rose 2.5 percent between Friday, July 31, and Friday, August 7. The index has now retraced its entire decline since the coronavirus selloff began in...
Reopening 2.0? Small Caps Gain Traction as Covid Cases Trend Lower
Some new trends are emerging as the market potentially looks for the coronavirus pandemic to ease. Small caps, industrials and retailers are showing signs of relative strength so far in August -- a big change from last month. Those sectors have lagged since the crisis...