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Stock Gains Widen as Investors Hope for Lower Inflation
by David Russell | May 13, 2024
Money is flowing back into stocks as investors hope for a better inflation report this week. The S&P 500 rose 1.9 percent between Friday, May 3, and Friday, May 10. It was the third straight positive week. More than...
The Basics of Options
by David Russell | May 12, 2024
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let’s consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option’s Price Is Usually Called ‘Premium’ ...
Memory Tricks for Options Greeks Like Delta, Gamma and Vega
by David Russell | May 12, 2024
Options are complex instruments that can swing sharply in value. Traders may find the moves confusing, so this article will help explain key "Greeks" -- some of the most important factors impacting the price of options. Greeks are Greek letters used in complicated...
Bullish, Neutral, Even Bearish: 3 Ways Options Traders Can Use Covered Calls
by David Russell | May 10, 2024
Covered calls are one of the most common strategies for options traders. While many investors have heard of them, they may not realize that covered calls are highly versatile. This article will cover how the method can be bullish, neutral and even bearish. First,...
Bullish and Bearish: Key Points About Vertical Option Spreads
by David Russell | May 8, 2024
Vertical spreads are one of the most common strategies in the options market because they can generate leverage with limited risk. This article will consider key points about bullish and bearish spreads. Vertical spreads involve two "legs" on the same underlier to...
Chart of the Day: Oracle May Have Found Support
by David Russell | May 7, 2024
Oracle jumped to new highs almost two months ago. Now, after a pullback, the software giant may have found support. The first pattern on today’s chart is the gap higher on March 12 after earnings surprised to the upside. ORCL retraced the move and is starting to...
Stocks Could Be Stabilizing. How Do I Find Potential Opportunities?
by David Russell | May 7, 2024
The stock market is bouncing after a dip. Are any companies stabilizing as sentiment recovers? Today's article will consider a method for discovering potential opportunities. It uses TradeStation's EasyLanguage scripting tool to create a custom indicator, which can...
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Technology & Communication
Chart of the Day: Oracle May Have Found Support
by David Russell | May 7, 2024
Oracle jumped to new highs almost two months ago. Now, after a pullback, the software giant may have found support. The first pattern on today’s chart is the gap higher on March 12 after earnings surprised to the upside. ORCL retraced the move and is starting to...
AI Boom Fades as Fundamentals Weaken: Earnings Recap
by David Russell | Apr 30, 2024
Most of the big earnings reports have now occurred, and so far they've done little to boost the market. Companies like Microsoft (MSFT), Meta Platforms (META), Netflix (NFLX), Caterpillar (CAT) and Intel (INTC) reported profits above Wall Street estimates. However...
Nasdaq Surges as Traders Buy the Dip Before Fed Meeting
by David Russell | Apr 29, 2024
Stocks are rebounding as key earnings beat estimates and investors get comfortable with fewer rate cuts. The S&P 500 rose 2.7 percent between Friday, April 19, and Friday, April 26. The Nasdaq-100 jumped 4 percent. Those were the biggest weekly gains for both...
Chart of the Day: Does ARK Innovation Have Downside Risk?
by David Russell | Apr 25, 2024
The ARK Innovation ETF has chopped in a range for the last two years, and some traders may expect a push back to longer-term lows. The first pattern on today’s chart is the rounded top in February and March. It was slightly below the peak of ... For more,...
Chip Selloff Hammers Growth Stocks. Is the AI Boom Over?
by David Russell | Apr 22, 2024
Chip stocks like Nvidia led the market to new highs last earnings season. The opposite could be happening this time. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 9.2 percent between Friday, April 12, and Friday, April 19. It was the index's biggest weekly drop in almost...