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Key Options Knowledge: Time, Volatility and Different Kinds of Value
by David Russell | Dec 18, 2025
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...
Big Technology Companies Report Earnings Soon
by David Russell | Jul 18, 2024
Second quarter earnings season has begun. Financials have already reported, and attention will soon turn to major technology companies like Microsoft and Apple. This article will cover some key dates and recent news on these stocks....
No ‘Stag’ and Not Much ‘Flation’? Market Trends This Week
by David Russell | Jul 18, 2024
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 has risen in 10 of the last 12 days. New records in nine of the last 10 days. Breadth widens: New 52-week highs increase...
Small Caps Surge as a Potential ‘Trump Trade’ Takes Shape
by David Russell | Jul 17, 2024
The stock market is changing quickly as investors anticipate potential rate cuts and a second Trump Administration. TradeStation data shows a dramatic shift away from large growth stocks in favor of smaller companies and value plays. Banks, financials, small caps,...
Stocks Jump to Another Record High With Rate Cuts Expected
by David Russell | Jul 15, 2024
Stocks keep climbing as inflation slows and as investors looked for rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The S&P 500 rose 0.9 percent between Friday, July 5, and Friday, July 12. The index closed above 5,600 for the first time ever, one week after surpassing 5,500....
S&P 500 Crosses 5,600 as Pre-April Bullishness Returns: Market Trends
by David Russell | Jul 11, 2024
Downloads are available here. TradeStation’s ideas on TradingView are available here. Sizing Up the S&P 500 S&P 500 crosses 5,600 for first time Index up 6 straight sessions, longest since 11/6 Patterns similar to pre-April: Relative Strength...
Chart of the Day: Make or Break Time for the Russell?
by David Russell | Jul 10, 2024
The Russell 2000 has gone nowhere since December, but some traders may think the small cap index is poised for a move. The main pattern on today’s chart is the pair of converging lines along the lows since April and the highs since May. Will there be a breakout from...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Options Alert: Record Volume in Tech Stock
by David Russell | Apr 8, 2025
Teradyne has been plunging for almost a year, and yesterday it had record options volume. A single large transaction accounted for most of the activity in the company, which supplies testing equipment for semiconductors and robotics: Some 29,383 June 70 puts traded...
Four Key Options Strategies to Know With the Biggest Week of Earnings Season About to Begin
by David Russell | Apr 22, 2021
Next week is the biggest week of earnings season. More than one-third of the S&P 500's members announce results, including the biggest companies like Apple. This blog post will focus on options strategies that can help stock investors during earnings season. It...
Netflix Reports Earnings Tonight: Will It Finally Break Out?
by David Russell | Apr 20, 2021
Netflix stock has gone nowhere since the summer. But that could change when it reports earnings tonight. The streaming-video giant was one of the first companies to recover when coronavirus forced millions into lockdown last year. It was also one of the first stocks...
Media Giant May Be Attempting a Bull-Flag Breakout: Chart Study
by David Russell | Apr 19, 2021
Comcast has pulled back after making a new high last month, and now it could be turning upward again. The media giant battled against a downward-sloping trend line running from March 16 through last Wednesday. But it ended last week breaking above it. Second, notice...
Semiconductors Are Breaking Out. Here Are the Top Stocks For Options Traders
by David Russell | Apr 6, 2021
Semiconductor stocks are breaking out amid a global shortage of microchips. Let's take a closer look at an industry that's crushing the market, even with the broader technology sector lagging. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ($SOX) has risen 18 percent so far...




