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Options Alert: Put Volume Spikes in PepsiCo
by David Russell | Sep 16, 2025
PepsiCo began September with a failed rally, and a big options trade yesterday seemed to target further downside.
Technical Analysis: Exxon Mobil Could Be Stalling
by David Russell | Aug 4, 2022
Energy stocks have dominated the market this year, but now the biggest of the bunch is showing signs of weakness: Exxon Mobil. The first pattern on today’s chart is the jump following strong quarterly results on July 29. While that may have been impressive, it soon...
Where’s the Fear? VIX Keeps Sliding as Big Events Fail to Lift Volatility
by David Russell | Aug 3, 2022
Cboe's "fear index" hasn't been showing a lot of panic lately. The Volatility Index ($VIX.X) declined steadily between mid-June and late July. That six-week slide was the longest negative streak since late 2019, according to TradeStation data. It's up slightly this...
Stocks Leapt Higher in July, But Will the Rally Continue this Month?
by David Russell | Aug 1, 2022
Stocks just finished their best month in over a year. Can they keep running in August? The S&P 500 climbed 4.3 percent in the week between Friday, July 22, and Friday, July 29. That helped lift the index 9.1 percent in July, giving the index its biggest monthly...
Chart of the Day: Chinese Electric Car Stock Rallies and Pulls Back
by David Russell | Jul 28, 2022
Most Chinese stocks remain well below their 52-week highs, but not Li Auto. Let's consider some of the patterns on the Beijing-based maker of electric cars and SUVs. First you have the level around $33. It was the opening price on December 3 when news of Didi's...
The Fed Hints at Peak Hawkishness Following Another Huge Interest Rate Hike
by David Russell | Jul 27, 2022
The Federal Reserve may have reached "peak hawkishness" after seven months of embracing tighter monetary policy. The central bank raised the target for its interest rates by 75 basis points today. The move matched expectations and mirrored a similar historic increase...
Options Alert: Mega Call Spreads Target Historic Level in Brazilian Energy Stock
by David Russell | Jul 26, 2022
For the second session in a row, options traders targeted a key level in South American oil driller Petrobras. Check out this large bullish call spread Monday in Rio De Janeiro-based PBR: A block of 40,000 January 14 calls was purchased for $0.50. An equal number of...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Options Alert: Calls Surge After Chinese Travel Stock Reverses Off Lows
by David Russell | Oct 24, 2023
Chinese stocks have struggled lately as tension grows between Washington and Beijing. However, at least one trader seems bullish on travel stock Trip.com. Heavy volume was detected in the November 38 calls, with more than 24,000 contracts changing hands for $0.15....
Podcast: Is it Time for Stocks to Take a Breather?
by David Russell | Apr 9, 2019
Stocks have risen in 12 of the last 15 weeks. But now, will investors start to worry about an expected drop in earnings when companies announce results? This year's strongest industries -- semiconductors and solar energy -- are also reviewed.
Semiconductor ETF Reclaiming Leadership in Technology
by David Russell | Apr 5, 2019
Chip stocks began April with a bang, potentially ending a year of underperformance against other parts of the technology sector. The Market Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) is up about 7 percent in the last week, making it the best-performing major fund in the entire...
FANG Stocks Flying as Nirvana Spreads in the Tech Sector
by David Russell | Apr 4, 2019
Big technology stocks are ripping as a combination of favorable conditions sweep markets. The NYSE FANG+ Index ($NYFANG) index is up more than 3 percent since Friday, putting it on pace for the biggest weekly gain since the early January. The index, named after...
Bulls Just Got Another Reason to Like the Chip Sector
by David Russell | Apr 3, 2019
The good news keeps coming for chip makers, the hottest space in the market over the last month. Digitimes reported this morning that Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), one of the biggest manufacturers on the planet, just got a flurry of orders. It's now running its...





