Market Insights
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Earnings and Jerome Powell Suppress Volatility
by David Russell | Oct 16, 2025
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Sizing Up the Market S&P 500 holds: 21-day exponential moving average (EMA) September 26 weekly close of 6,644 Follows holding September 17 low of 6,551 Monday, Tuesday,...
Chart of the Day: Does the S&P 500 Have Lessons From History?
by David Russell | Nov 11, 2022
Yesterday's CPI report was a reminder that, despite how it feels, the inflation crisis might not last forever. This raises the question of how to think about the Federal Reserve, and makes us look back to previous moments in history. The most relevant precedent could...
Layoffs Increase, Potentially Welcome News for the Federal Reserve
by David Russell | Nov 10, 2022
Layoffs are a new trending theme, which is potentially welcome news for the Federal Reserve. The Google Trends chart below shows interest in the term "layoff" tripling since the beginning of October. It's now back to its highest level since May 2020 near the start of...
Chart of the Day: Can Anything Stop Hess?
by David Russell | Nov 7, 2022
Energy remains the top-performing sector this year. Today we're focusing a member of the group with potentially classic breakout behavior: Hess. The first pattern on the oil and gas stock's chart is the is the October 26 surge above $137. That was the previous...
Investors Survive a Turbulent October, Shifting to New Stocks as Interest Rates Climb
by David Russell | Nov 1, 2022
Stocks held their ground during a turbulent October as investors focused on new areas that could lead in the market's next cycle. The S&P 500 rose 8 percent, advancing for the first time in three months. The move came after a higher-than-expected inflation report...
Stocks Keep Climbing Before the Fed: Will Jerome Powell Finally Slow Down?
by David Russell | Oct 31, 2022
Will Jerome Powell finally hit the brakes? Stocks could be moving like the Federal Reserve is near the end of its rate-hiking cycle. The S&P 500 rose 4 percent between Friday, October 21, and Friday, October 28. It was the second weekly gain of at least 4 percent,...
Options Traders Look for Marathon Oil to Keep Running
by David Russell | Oct 25, 2022
Marathon Oil is the third-best performer in the S&P 500 this year, and options traders seem to think it will keep running. Check out this large complex trade in the Houston-based energy driller: 15,423 January 24 calls were sold for $6.70.15,423 January 21 puts...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Chart of the Day: Palantir Stabilizes Above Old Highs
by David Russell | Mar 26, 2024
Palantir Technologies has advanced as investors embrace AI and non-government customers embrace its products. Is its current pullback offering an opportunity? The first pattern on today’s chart is the pair of rallies after the last two quarterly reports. Those may...
Disney, Microsoft Led the Dow Higher in the Second Quarter
by David Russell | Jun 28, 2019
Today's the last day of the second quarter. A pair of blue-chip disruptors led the market higher during the period. Walt Disney (DIS) and Microsoft (MSFT) were the best performers in the Dow Jones Industrial Average since the end of March. DIS surged 25 percent as it...
Videogame Bulls Fight for Key Level: Options Recap
by David Russell | Jun 18, 2019
Videogame stocks are still hurting from last year's selloff in tech. But now options traders are defending a key level in major stock. We're talking about Activision Blizzard (ATVI), which makes titles like Call of Duty, Candy Crush and Overwatch. The stock briefly...
Social Media Giant Plans Big Crypto Announcement Today
by David Russell | Jun 18, 2019
The world's biggest social network is poised to bring cryptocurrencies to the mainstream of business with a major announcement today. Multiple news sources report that Facebook (FB) will publish details on "Project Libra." The new cryptocurrency will enable money...
Podcast: A Search for New Leadership in the Stock Market
by David Russell | Jun 11, 2019
Explore the positives and negatives facing stocks as the S&P 500 consolidates at levels from April. Can a dovish Federal Reserve offset weakness in big companies like Apple and Facebook?





