Market Insights
Opportunity knocks for those with trading in their DNA.
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Bearish Option Strategy: Put Spread
Traders buy a put option near the money and sell another at a lower strike. This strategy can leverage a price drop with limited capital at risk. Learn more
Bearish Patterns Appear in this Industrial Giant
Caterpillar was a top pick among investors for the rebound last year. But now the chart is showing several bearish patterns. First is the string of lower highs over the last five weeks. CAT held support around $200 during that time, resulting in a potential descending...
The Economy Suddenly Shows Improvement Despite Delta Variant and Bottlenecks
After a string of bad data, the U.S. economy is suddenly looking better. The U.S. Commerce Department reported today that retail sales increased by 0.7 percent in August. It was the biggest gain in four months and crushed estimates for a 0.8 percent drop. The...
Options Alert: Traders Brave Selloff in Casino Stock, Look for Oversold Bounce
Political and Covid-19 worries have crushed a major casino key gambling stock, but some options traders are looking for a bounce. Wynn Resorts (WYNN) is having its worst week in over a year, down 15 percent, after the government of Macau said it may increase...
Bitcoin: The Correction that Never Was?
"What if they gave a war and nobody came?" was a popular saying with protestors in the 1960s. Something similar could be asked of Bitcoin today: "What if they gave a selloff and nobody came?" Consider how BTCUSD knifed violently lower on September 7. Then consider the...
Oil and Gas Are Back in Focus as Winter Approaches and Demand Rebounds
Bullish catalysts seem to be increasing in the oil and natural-gas markets as demand rebounds and winter-heating season approaches. OPEC surprised investors on Monday by forecasting that global oil demand will hit new all-time highs in 2021, above pre-pandemic levels....
Here Are 3 Key Hedging Strategies If You’re Worried About a Pullback in the Stock Market
Stocks have been sliding since Labor Day. This post will consider some potential hedging techniques if you're worried about a deeper pullback. The strategies use options, which give investors the right to buy and sell shares at given prices. Because they're...
Technology & Communication
AMD Was the Busiest Symbol at TradeStation for the Fifth Straight Month
Advanced Micro Devices made new lows in June, but it remained the most actively traded symbol at TradeStation Securities for the fifth straight month. AMD declined as investors shunned economically sensitive semiconductor stocks. It's lost more than half its value...
Don’s Notebook May 1, 2018
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM report) came in lower than Street consensus at 57.3 (vs. estimates of 57.5-60.) This survey asks purchasing managers about the general direction of production, new orders, order backlogs, their own inventories, customer...
Bulls Return to Gaming Space: Options Recap
Two weeks ago, a options traders were bullish in a slot-machine maker. Yesterday, a similar transaction lit up a race-track and casino operator. Traders bought 6,000 June 31 calls in Penn National Gaming (PENN) for $1.25 in the middle of the afternoon. A block of...
IPOs come roaring to life
April is shaping up to the best month for initial public offerings in years. Data from ClickIPO shows over $10 billion of new equity entered the market in April. That's the most since September 2014. Combined volume in the first four months of the year also stands at...
Suddenly the Bears are in Retreat
Stocks recovered from early losses last week as interest rates stabilized and money streamed into tech. A Friday-afternoon surge landed the S&P 500 back above its 50-day moving average, resulting in a 0.55 percent gain for the holiday-shortened span. The...