Market Insights
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How Have Markets Reacted to the Fed’s Rate Cut?
by David Russell | Dec 17, 2025
The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates last week, while signaling it might not cut again soon. How have markets reacted to the news? This article compares two strategies designed to capture a positive response to Wednesday's move. One uses options on the heavily...
Gasoline Futures Go on Sale as China Sputters and Saudis Cut Prices
by David Russell | Sep 4, 2024
Energy costs are falling on signs of weaker demand and increased supply. Several negative headlines appeared before and after the Labor Day weekend. First, Chinese manufacturing activity slowed more than expected to its worst level in six months. Then Reuters reported...
Bears Enter September in Retreat After a Dramatic August
by David Russell | Sep 3, 2024
Bears tried to hit the stock market in August, but were driven off by good news about the economy and earnings. The S&P 500 began last month with a sharp selloff, initially falling more than 9 percent below its July close. But sellers quickly evaporated and the...
Rotation Continues as Nvidia Beats Again: Market Trends This Week
by David Russell | Aug 29, 2024
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Check out our next “State of the Market,” on Monday, 9/9. (Next Market Trends will be Thursday, 9/12) Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 holds 5560 price area...
Chart of the Day: Amazon.com May Be Overbought
by David Russell | Aug 27, 2024
Amazon.com has rebounded from a drop, but some traders may think the e-commerce giant will give back some of its recent gains. The first pattern on today’s chart is the $181.87 level. It was the low immediately before earnings came out and represented the approximate...
There’s Big AI News This Week, But Is the Market Already Moving On?
by David Russell | Aug 26, 2024
This week brings major news for Artificial Intelligence, but some investors may already be moving on to the next big trend. The S&P 500 rose 1.4 percent between Friday, August 16, and Friday, August 23. Interest-rate sensitive groups, like homebuilders, banks and...
Key Options Knowledge: Time, Volatility and Different Kinds of Value
by David Russell | Aug 25, 2024
Options confuse a lot of investors because several factors impact their value. Unlike stocks, they don’t just go up and down based on supply and demand. This post will explain three of the most important concepts you need to get started: time, volatility and intrinsic...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Earnings From Big Tech Stocks Begin This Week
by David Russell | Apr 23, 2025
(Access the webinar slides.) First-quarter earnings season has begun with stocks facing unprecedented uncertainty because of tariffs. Major financials reported first, and attention will soon turn to large growth companies like Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL) and Meta...
This Major Index Is Breaking Out as Value Stocks Pause: Chart Study
by David Russell | Jun 15, 2021
Value stocks and reopening plays have been the main themes in 2021, but now the bulls seem to be returning to Big Tech and the Nasdaq-100. The yellow histogram on this chart compares the 21-day return of NDX against the S&P 500. (It uses our Smart Relative...
Growth Stocks Regain the Lead as Investors Embrace a Dovish Fed
by David Russell | Jun 14, 2021
Most of 2021 has focused on value stocks as the economy reopening from coronavirus, but last week investors returned to growth. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent between Friday, June 4, and Friday, June 11. The Nasdaq-100 climbed 1.2 percent, its biggest outperformance...
Advanced Micro Is Challenging a Trend Line: Chart of the Day
by David Russell | Jun 11, 2021
Believe it or not, Advanced Micro Devices has been little changed for 10 months. But now the semiconductor stock may be getting ready to move. This chart shows how AMD is stuck between a falling trend line and its 50-day moving average. Our Moving Average Speed custom...
Options Traders Are Looking for This Satellite Radio Stock to Blast Off
by David Russell | Jun 8, 2021
Sirius XM has gone nowhere for years, but now bullish options trades are building as the satellite-radio company partners with TikTok. Call volume has climbed steadily in the last week, according to TradeStation data. Today's top contract is the September 8 call,...





