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Stocks Falter as Geopolitical Risk Increases
by David Russell | Jun 16, 2025
Stocks face a new challenges as war in the Middle East stokes geopolitical tension and threatens to revive inflation.
Where Does the Economy Stand With the Fed Tapering? Check Out These 7 Charts
by David Russell | Dec 17, 2021
The Federal Reserve deployed historic supports to the economy during the coronavirus pandemic. This week it took major steps toward removing the stimulus by tapering asset purchases more quickly. Policymakers also moved forward interest-rate increases, signaling three...
Options Alert: Heavy Call Volume Appears in the Top Utility Stock
by David Russell | Dec 16, 2021
Utilities broke out to new highs yesterday, and an option trader targeted the biggest company in the sector. Check out the call unusual volume in NextEra Energy (NEE): A block of 17,919 December 90 calls traded for $1.A block of 17,919 March 100 calls changed hands at...
Taper Tantrum? High Multiple Growth Stocks Take a Hit Before the Big Fed Meeting
by David Russell | Dec 15, 2021
High-multiple growth names crumbled again yesterday as investors brace for tighter monetary policy from the Federal Reserve. Using TradeStation's extensive library of fundamental and technical data, we compared S&P 500 members that fell at least 1 percent on...
Chart of the Day: Mega Candle in Johnson & Johnson
by David Russell | Dec 14, 2021
Johnson & Johnson is often a dull stock, but it had some exciting price action yesterday. The health care giant dropped 1 percent in the initial seconds of trading, undercutting Friday's low. Buyers immediately came out of the woodwork, driving the stock to its...
Investors Shift to Safe Havens, Shunning Riskier Stocks as the Fed Taper Approaches
by David Russell | Dec 14, 2021
The S&P 500 fell yesterday, but a new kind of stock seems to be breaking out. Consumer staples, real estate investment trusts and utilities hit new 52-week highs on Monday, based on analysis of the SPDR funds tracking each sector. Meanwhile economically sensitive...
Stocks Explode Higher as Tech Buyers Pounce on Omicron Pullback
by David Russell | Dec 13, 2021
Stocks just had their best week since February as buyers defied worries about the omicron variant, amassing technology stocks and reopening plays. The S&P 500 rose 3.8 percent between Friday, December 3, and Friday, December 10. The index established a new...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
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...
Two Tech Giants Moving in Very Different Directions
by David Russell | Sep 4, 2018
Two tech giants are moving in two very different directions as we enter the home stretch for the third quarter. Apple (AAPL) has appreciated 22 percent since the end of June. That makes it the second-best performer in the SPDR Technology Fund (XLK), with only Advanced...
Another Week, Another Gain for Stocks
by David Russell | Sep 4, 2018
The U.S. bull market's winning run continued last week as the S&P 500 broke out to new highs. The index rose 0.9 percent between Friday, August 24, and Friday, August 31 -- its eighth gain in the last nine weeks. The benchmark also advanced 3 percent in August,...
Traders, Keep an Eye on Chip Stocks
by David Russell | Aug 30, 2018
Semiconductors have been a weak spot in technology for most of the year. But now the group may be trying to break out. The Market Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) is challenging an old peak from earlier this month. It comes at a time when the broader technology sector...
A Weak End to a Strong Season: Earnings This Week
by David Russell | Aug 30, 2018
A good earnings season ended on a weak note, thanks to dinosaur consumer stocks. Traditional retailers and food stocks are down sharply as changes in the ecosystem continue to weigh on sentiment. Some beat estimates, others missed. Either way, investors looked for...





