Market Insights
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Option Alert: Can Micron Rebound?
Micron Technology has struggled along with other chip stocks lately, but one trader is positioning for a rebound. Check out this unusual options activity yesterday: 17,000 July 120 calls were purchased for $3.80. 17,000 July 130 calls were sold for $2.54. Volume was...
Bulls in the China Shop? Options Surge Before Big Events
Options traders are getting active in Chinese technology companies like Baidu before two potentially important events. The first catalyst is at 8:30 a.m. ET tomorrow, when the U.S. Labor Department releases the consumer price index (CPI). It's the first reading of...
Stocks Keep Climbing as Lower Rates Push Growth Names Higher
Large growth stocks are leading the market to new highs again as investors anticipate lower interest rates. The S&P 500 rose almost 2 percent in the holiday-shortened week between Friday, June 28, and Friday, July 5. The index closed above 5,500 for the first time...
Key Points About Selling Credit Spreads
A previous post covered debit spreads, when you pay a debit looking for a stock or ETF to move in a certain direction. Credit spreads are just the opposite, with traders collecting premium up front in hope that the stock won’t move a certain way. What a...
Measuring the Summer Calm With TradeStation’s Custom Functionality
Stocks have enjoyed a calm drift higher since the beginning of May. But just how smooth has the ride been? Today we'll answer that question using TradeStation's award-winning platform. One approach is to measure the amount of time since the S&P 500 last had a...
Technology and the Nasdaq Surged Back to Life in June
Stocks keep hitting new highs as technology comes back to life. The S&P 500 rose 3.5 percent in June, while the Nasdaq-100 climbed 6.2 percent. Software companies, chipmakers and other large technology companies broadly drove the gains. As a result, the technology...
Rolling Options: Key Things for Traders to Know
“Rolling options” is a common transaction for options traders, but there are several ways to do it. This article will explain the different ways and reasons why traders might roll positions. These are the key points we’ll cover: What does it mean to roll options? Why...
Technology & Communication
China Stimulus, Chip Rally Drive Stocks to Another New High
Stocks are pushing to new record highs as China unleashes economic stimulus and chipmakers keep rising. The S&P 500 rose 0.6 percent between Friday, September 20, and Friday, September 27. It was the third straight positive week, with almost two-thirds of the...
Call Volume Spikes in Nikola Before Shareholder Vote
After a big slide, one big options trader is looking for a rebound in Nikola. Large blocks of calls changed hands yesterday in the electric-truck developer. A block of 40,000 July 5.50 calls were bought for $0.22. The investor sold a matching number of July 6.50 calls...
Chart of the Day: Is it Prime Time for Amazon.com?
Amazon.com has retraced almost all of its pandemic gains. Is this an opportunity for buyers? Let's consider some chart patterns. First is the $101.79 level (split adjusted). It was a peak in July 2019 and a breakout area immediately before the coronavirus selloff in...
Every Tech Company in the S&P 500 Fell Last Quarter — Except July’s Mystery Stock
The technology sector just had its worst quarter in 14 years. Every member declined in the period -- except for July's mystery stock. The SPDR Technology Sector ETF (XLK) fell 20 percent between March 31 and June 30 -- its worst quarterly performance since late 2008....
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...