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Indexes and ETFs
Stocks Just Had Their Best Quarter Since 2013

Stocks Just Had Their Best Quarter Since 2013

Stocks dipped slightly last week, but still had their best quarter in almost five years. The S&P 500 slid 0.5 percent between Friday, September 21, and Friday, September 28. It was only the third negative week in the last 13. The index's 7.2 percent gain since the...

Cannabis Craze Drives Activity: September at TradeStation

Cannabis Craze Drives Activity: September at TradeStation

The cannabis craze swept markets in September, with TradeStation clients riding the wave. Canadian marijuana firm Tilray (TLRY) was the third-busiest stock on our platforms this month, catapulting from No. 24 in August. Related companies Canopy Growth (CGC) and Cronos...

Bears Cry Uncle as FOMO Takes Hold

Bears Cry Uncle as FOMO Takes Hold

Stocks kept climbing last week as fears of a trade war morphed into fear of missing out. The S&P 500 rose 0.85 percent between Friday, September 14, and Friday, September 21. It was the tenth gain in the last 12 weeks, and keeps the index on pace for its sixth...

Why Stocks Move: Macro Trends

Why Stocks Move: Macro Trends

This post is part of a series about the catalysts for stock movements. It’s based on a series of talks at TradeStation’s Master Class learning sessions.  On Wednesday, we examined the process of investor rotation. That's when stocks move based on shifts...

Your Favorite Sector’s Getting Reshuffled

Your Favorite Sector’s Getting Reshuffled

Everyone loves tech. Did you know the sector's about to get reshuffled? Over the years, "technology" has become an increasingly ambiguous term. What do semiconductors have in common with phone companies? Why should routers and photocopiers get lumped alongside social...

Small Caps Suffer as Dow Roars to Life

Small Caps Suffer as Dow Roars to Life

Shifts in sentiment seem to be hurting small-cap stocks, one of the market's strongest areas this year. The Russell 2000 small cap ETF (IWM) is the only major index with a negative return in the last month. That marks a big change versus its performance over the...

Here Comes the Dow…

Here Comes the Dow…

The world's most famous stock benchmark has been caged up all year. Is it ready for a breakout? The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) is the best-performing major index in the last month, even though it's lagged on a year-to-date basis. (See the RadarScreen®...

There Are Signs of Fear Leaving the Market

There Are Signs of Fear Leaving the Market

Stocks are bouncing today after Washington and Beijing exchanged tariffs. Beyond those headlines, various signs have suggested fear is leaving the market. First, look at sector performance. In the last week, "risk-on" sectors like energy and industrials have...

Options 101: Going ‘In the Money’

Options 101: Going ‘In the Money’

One of the confusing things about options is, quite simply, all the options. Every underlier has dozens, if not hundreds or even thousands of related contracts. Where on earth to begin? There are many ways to approach this question, so today we'll consider options...