Market Insights
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The Basics of Options
by David Russell | Sep 21, 2025
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let’s consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option’s Price Is Usually Called ‘Premium’ There are some...
Health Care Leads New Highs as the Stock Market Recovers
by David Russell | Aug 16, 2022
Something new happened in the stock market yesterday following a month of steady gains: some names are breaking out. Twenty three members of the S&P 500 made new 52-week highs on Monday. That was the most since April 21, according to TradeStation data. Six of...
Has Inflation Passed Away? Stocks Keep Climbing as Price Gains Slow
by David Russell | Aug 15, 2022
Stocks just had their longest winning streak of the year as inflation cooled and investors plowed cash back into the market. The S&P 500 rose 3.3 percent between Friday, August 5, and Friday, August 12. It was the index's fourth straight weekly gain, its longest...
Next Week Mover? Options Trader Targets Quicker Upside in Lottery and Gambling Stock
by David Russell | Aug 12, 2022
International Game Technology jumped on strong results, and one options trader is looking for the move to continue next week. Check out this morning's unusual activity in the provider of lotteries and casino machines: 15,000 October 21 calls were sold for $2.73.An...
Technical Analysis: Netflix Shares Are Inching Toward a Big Price Gap
by David Russell | Aug 11, 2022
Does anyone remember Netflix? After losing three-quarters of its value between November and May, the streaming-video stock may be trying to claw its way back. The first pattern on today’s chart is the bearish price gap on April 20 after the business unexpectedly lost...
Videogame Slowdown Is the Latest Negative to Hit Semiconductor Stocks
by David Russell | Aug 9, 2022
Nvidia fell sharply after cutting guidance yesterday, the latest bearish headline facing the semiconductor industry. "Our gaming product sell-through projections declined significantly," CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement preannouncing weak results for the fiscal...
Stocks Keep Advancing as Economic, Inflation Hopes Draw Investors Back to the Market
by David Russell | Aug 8, 2022
Stocks advanced again last week as inflation-wary investors keep inching back into the market. The S&P 500 rose 0.36 percent between Friday, July 29, and Friday, August 5. It was the third straight weekly advance, returning the index to its highest level in two...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Chart of the Day: CrowdStrike Pulls Back
by David Russell | Oct 24, 2023
CrowdStrike has been making new 52-week highs as the broader market languishes. Now after a quick pullback, some traders may look for the cybersecurity stock to continue higher. The first pattern on today’s chart is the bullish gap on August 31 after results and...
Some of 2018’s IPOs Have Pulled Back As Uber Deal Approaches
by David Russell | Apr 23, 2019
Initial public offerings (IPO) are taking a pause before Uber's (UBER) huge deal next month. That makes it good time to review some of last year's deals. Several companies that went public in early 2018 or late 2017 have pulled back after pushing to new highs in...
Bulls Chasing Strongest Name in a Breakout Sector: Options Recap
by David Russell | Apr 16, 2019
Semiconductors have broken out to new highs, and one investor is targeting more gains in one of the industry's top performers. Marvell Technology (MRVL), whose chips are used for data storage and networking, has climbed 11 percent in the last week. That makes it the...
Media ETF on the Move as Disney Shifts to Streaming Services
by David Russell | Apr 11, 2019
Media stocks are on the move as a key player in the space makes an historic shift. The SPDR Communications Services ETF (XLC) has risen almost 4 percent so far in April -- almost twice the performance of the broader S&P 500 over that period. It was also one of...
Pinterest IPO Is Coming to the Market For Less Than Expected
by David Russell | Apr 9, 2019
The flood of initial public offerings (IPOs) continues, with attention now turning to a popular social-media service. Pinterest (PINS) announced yesterday it would issue 75 million shares for $15-17 each. Based on its 529 million share count, that translates into an...





