Market Insights
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Strategies for Managing Risk With Options
Options can be risky because they're complex and typically expire worthless. However they can also help investors limit risk when used correctly. This post will consider four strategies that can reduce losses and enhance gains for ordinary investors. Bullish Call...
What Is Event Risk? Why Does It Matter? How Can it Be Managed?
Investors face several kinds of risk in the stock market. Today we'll consider one of the most common: event risk. While some events are unexpected, many are known. Stocks often move around certain occurrences, like earnings reports, Federal Reserve meetings or...
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...
‘Inflation Has Eased.’ Stocks Near Highs as Fed Signals Rate Cuts
Stocks are clawing toward record levels after the Federal Reserve confirmed hopes of a soft landing. The S&P 500 rose 2.5 percent between Friday, December 8, and Friday, December 15. The index has advanced for seven straight weeks and is just 2 percent below its...
Will the Punch Bowl Return Next Year? Market Trends This Week
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Next Market Trends will be on January 11, 2024. Check back here to register. Sizing Up the S&P 500 Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at record high S&P...
Chart of the Day: Potential Uptrend in DraftKings
DraftKings spent four months digesting a strong first half. Now after a rally and pullback, traders may see more upside in the sports-betting stock. The first pattern on today's chart is the August peak of $34.49. Strong earnings propelled DKNG through that level in...
This Industry Just Broke Out. Will the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Follow?
Stocks could be attempting a breakout as confidence continues to spread. The S&P 500, Nasdaq-100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed fractionally between Friday, December 1, and Friday, December 8. All three had their highest daily and weekly closes in over a...
Strategies for Managing Risk With Options
Options can be risky because they're complex and typically expire worthless. However they can also help investors limit risk when used correctly. This post will consider four strategies that can reduce losses and enhance gains for ordinary investors. Bullish Call...
What Is Event Risk? Why Does It Matter? How Can it Be Managed?
Investors face several kinds of risk in the stock market. Today we'll consider one of the most common: event risk. While some events are unexpected, many are known. Stocks often move around certain occurrences, like earnings reports, Federal Reserve meetings or...
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...
‘Inflation Has Eased.’ Stocks Near Highs as Fed Signals Rate Cuts
Stocks are clawing toward record levels after the Federal Reserve confirmed hopes of a soft landing. The S&P 500 rose 2.5 percent between Friday, December 8, and Friday, December 15. The index has advanced for seven straight weeks and is just 2 percent below its...
Will the Punch Bowl Return Next Year? Market Trends This Week
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Next Market Trends will be on January 11, 2024. Check back here to register. Sizing Up the S&P 500 Dow Jones Industrial Average closes at record high S&P...
Chart of the Day: Potential Uptrend in DraftKings
DraftKings spent four months digesting a strong first half. Now after a rally and pullback, traders may see more upside in the sports-betting stock. The first pattern on today's chart is the August peak of $34.49. Strong earnings propelled DKNG through that level in...
This Industry Just Broke Out. Will the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Follow?
Stocks could be attempting a breakout as confidence continues to spread. The S&P 500, Nasdaq-100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed fractionally between Friday, December 1, and Friday, December 8. All three had their highest daily and weekly closes in over a...
Stocks Are Trying to Stabilize Before a Trio of Major Economic Events
Stocks are trying to stabilize before three major economic events that could determine direction in coming months. The S&P 500 rose 0.8 percent between Friday, August 18, and Friday, August 25. It was the first gain in the last four weeks, supported by large-cap...
Market Sputters as U.S. Economy Surges and China Struggles
Stocks declined for a third week as investors grappled with a surging U.S. economy and spreading weakness in China. The S&P 500 slid 2.1 percent between Friday, August 11, and Friday, August 18. More than 90 percent of the index's members lost value, including...
Technical Analysis: Can Caterpillar Hold Its Gains?
Caterpillar has been leading a rally in industrial stocks, but now some traders may expect a pullback. Notice the gap to new record levels on August 1 after earnings beat estimates. CAT pushed to another high the following session but ... For more,...
Stocks Test Support as Blue Chips Take Leadership From Big Tech
Stocks are testing support as the venerable Dow Jones Industrial Average takes leadership from newer technology companies. The 138-year-old benchmark rose 0.7 percent between Friday, August 4, and Friday, August 11. The Nasdaq-100, on the other hand, fell 1.4 percent....
Stocks Fall on U.S. Downgrade as a New Month Begins
Stocks began August to the downside as big earnings passed and Fitch Ratings downgraded the sovereign debt of the United States. The S&P 500 fell 2.3 percent between Friday, July 28, and Friday, August 4. It was the index's biggest decline since March, and its...
Chart of the Day: Alphabet Pulls Back After Earnings Rally
Alphabet jumped to a new 52-week high on strong results last week. Now it may be giving trend followers a potential opportunity. The first pattern on today’s chart is the bullish gap on July 26 after revenue beat estimates and its Cloud business surprised to the...
Stocks Keep Climbing: Has ‘Goldilocks’ Arrived?
Stocks keep rising as lower inflation, accelerating growth and strong earnings create a potential "Goldilocks" scenario. The S&P 500 rose 1 between Friday, July 21, and Friday, July 28. It was the third straight weekly advance, placing the index at its highest...
Blue Chips Break Out as Traders Pivot Before the Fed
Blue chips are breaking out as investors pivot from growth stocks to value. The S&P 500 rose 0.7 percent between Friday, July 14, and Friday, July 21. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was the big mover, jumping to a new 52-week high. Its 2.1 percent gain...
Lower Inflation Keeps Bulls in the Driver’s Seat as Earnings Begin
Stocks keep rising as lower inflation spurs hope the Federal Reserve is almost done hiking interest rates. The S&P 500 rose 2.4 between Friday, July 7, and Friday, July 14. The index touched its highest level since April 2022, with 82 percent of its members...
Call Buyers Flock to Advanced Micro as Chipmaker Wins Business From Microsoft and Meta
Advanced Micro Devices lit up the options market yesterday after being included in the world's biggest social network. The three busiest contracts across the entire options market were short-term AMD calls expiring this Friday, November 12. They outpaced other...
Options Alert: Ford Motor Calls Rolled Up as Rivian IPO Electrifies the Market
Options traders keep rolling bullish positions in Ford Motor with a key event coming as soon as next week. This large transaction occurred in the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker shortly before the closing bell yesterday: 20,000 January 20 calls were bought for...
The Nuclear Option? Inflation Has Call Buyers Rushing Back to This Uranium Stock
Forget about lumber. Options traders looking to play inflation have rediscovered Cameco, a once-popular uranium miner. Call volume in CCJ totaled 3.6 million contracts in September, almost 4 times the previous record. After a pause in early October, activity surged...
Tesla, Plug Power, Nio: Here Are Some Major Electric Vehicle Stocks for Options Traders
Automaker stocks like General Motors and Ford Motor have jumped in the last month as they shift toward electric vehicles. Many other stocks, including Tesla, are completely focused on electric vehicles. Below is a list of actively traded EV companies, especially those...
Southwest Has Record Put Volume as Option Traders React to Mass Cancellations
Southwest Airlines didn't just plummet yesterday after canceling thousands of flights. It also set a record in the options market. More than 81,000 put contracts traded in the airline on Monday. That was the most in over 25 years of history tracked by TradeStation,...
Huge Call Roll in Ford Motor: Is It Bullish?
Call volume surged in Ford Motor this morning, but was it bullish? Check out the large options trade that took place shortly after the open: Some 31,800 October 14 calls were purchased in two blocks for an average premium of $0.31.At the same times, a trader sold the...
Sports Betting Breakout? Options Traders Look for Huge Move in British Lottery Stock
Someone is looking for a giant move from International Game Technology, a lottery operator that's been expanding into sports betting. This large bullish options trade occurred on the London-based company yesterday morning: The investor purchased 20,000 November 26...
Options Alert: Traders Brave Selloff in Casino Stock, Look for Oversold Bounce
Political and Covid-19 worries have crushed a major casino key gambling stock, but some options traders are looking for a bounce. Wynn Resorts (WYNN) is having its worst week in over a year, down 15 percent, after the government of Macau said it may increase...
Oil and Gas Are Back in Focus as Winter Approaches and Demand Rebounds
Bullish catalysts seem to be increasing in the oil and natural-gas markets as demand rebounds and winter-heating season approaches. OPEC surprised investors on Monday by forecasting that global oil demand will hit new all-time highs in 2021, above pre-pandemic levels....
A Big Change Has Come to the Futures Market
Last week was dramatic for stocks but there was also big news in the futures market. Micro contracts, requiring barely one-tenth the capital of traditional futures, began trading on CME. The new product offers several potential benefits for retail investors --...
Why the U.S. Dollar Is Pushing to its Highest Level in Two Years
The greenback surged yesterday as America's growth prospects kept outshining the rest of the world. Futures on the U.S. dollar index (@DX) ended Wednesday's session at 97.86, their highest close in more than two years. Two broad forces seem to be at work. One's a push...
Futures Trading Coach: This Key Market Could Accelerate Higher
The S&P 500 has potential to accelerate higher as it flirts with last year's highs. That was the view this morning from John Hoagland at TopstepTrader. S&P 500 E-mini futures (@ES) have consolidated in a tight range since the beginning of last week. On this...
Futures Expert Sees Breakout Potential For Gold At Key Level
Gold may be able to extend its rally if it breaks through a key level now being tested. That was the verdict from John Hoagland at TopstepTrader. Gold futures (@GC) have spent six days at or near 1308. Hoagland said odds may favor a breakout above that level because...
‘Weak Dollar’ Trades Appear Before Powell and the Fed
The market's embracing a "weak dollar" sentiment, looking for more easy money from Jerome Powell's Federal Reserve tomorrow. Copper (@HG), crude oil (@CL), silver (@SI) and gold (@GC) rallied earlier this morning before giving up some gains. Exchange-traded funds...
S&P 500 Isn’t the Only Chart Hitting New Highs for 2019
Stock indexes, along with crude oil, just closed at their highest levels of the year. Is it the top, or the start of another rally as fear leaves the market? Let's review some of the key points with equities in the midst of their third straight winning month. One big...
Comex Gold Futures: Contract of the Week
Gold's one of the world's oldest measures of value. It's also one of of the most actively traded commodities, thanks to CME's Comex Gold Futures. These contracts use the symbol root GC and track 100 troy ounces of gold. That means every point represents $100 of change...
Good News Sneaks Out for Energy Sector
Everyone thought this week's big stories would be China or the Federal Reserve. But it might be all the good news in energy. Crude oil futures (@CL) are headed for their biggest gain in over a month after a government report showed inventories shrinking by 8.6 million...
Nasdaq-100 E-Minis: Contract of the Week
The "Nasdaq." Few words better represent the most innovative parts of the economy. Did you know the entire Nasdaq market can be traded virtually any time with CME's Nasdaq-100 futures? Like CME's S&P 500 E-minis, Nasdaq futures are active from Sunday night through...
Here’s Your Ultimate Guide to Trading the Weak Dollar
A perfect storm of forces is lining up against the U.S. dollar. Here are some key things for investors to know. First, even if you don’t trade currencies (and most people don't), they can have a big influence on the stock market. Moves in the foreign-exchange markets...
Silver ETF Makes Historic Move with Massive Options Volume
Silver shined yesterday like it hasn't done in years. The iShares Silver ETF (SLV) not only flew 9 percent on Wednesday -- its biggest gain since 2008. It also traded more than 2 million options contracts, its highest total since May 2011. SLV even outpaced other...
Banks Cling to Support Ahead of Stress Test
The Federal Reserve is set to release the latest stress test results for banks on Thursday, June 25th after the U.S market close. The central bank began conducting the stress tests in 2009, in response to the devastating effect of the global financial crisis. The...
Swift Rotation into Big Cap Tech, as Russell Support Nears
Since the global financial crisis in 2008, the theme in the overall market has been drastic outperformance in large-cap technology stocks such as the “FANG” names- Facebook (FB), Amazon (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX), Google (GOOGL). The aforementioned names are members of...
FANG 2.0? A New Generation of Tech Stocks Is Breaking Out
The stock market has yet to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, but a new generation of technology stocks has already broken out. Software companies like Twilio (TWLO), Okta (OKTA) and Datadog (DDOG) hit new record highs last month. Service providers like Zoom...
Worried About a Pullback? Here Are Three Go-To Options Strategies
Sentiment has turned more negative this week as investors worry the economy will keep struggling with coronavirus. Let's consider some ways to protect your investments with options. Managing Risk with Collars The first strategy is known as a collar. Say you purchased...
ETF Round-Up: Leaders and Laggards
Stocks are falling early Wednesday following relief rallies from the major indexes. Small-cap stocks have lagged so far this week as large-cap technology continues to shine. Coming into Wednesday the major index ETFs performance is as follows: the Russell 2000 ETF...
Understanding Volatility if You’ve Never Encountered It Before
The last month has been one of the most volatile in the history of the stock market. Here are some things to know if you're new to investing and it scared you. Volatility Increases When the Market Drops Volatility measures how much stocks move. The more they jump...
The Selloff Worsened Last Week as Coronavirus Shut Down the U.S. Economy
The stock market's slide worsened last week as coronavirus forced a broad shutdown of the U.S. economy. The S&P 500 declined 15 percent between Friday, March 13, and Friday, March 20. It was the biggest weekly drop since the 2008 financial crisis. Less than 1/20...