The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) finished lower today, dragged down by Apple's (AAPL) worst session since August. Both the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) also finished in the red, despite a solid day from retail stocks. Energy stocks also had a good day, after a pipeline explosion in Libya sent oil prices to a two-and-a-half-year high. Still, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX...Read More
Retail stocks are higher today, as traders celebrate signs of a strong holiday shopping season. Specifically, the latest data from Mastercard SpendingPulse indicates that year-end domestic retail sales surged 4.9% in 2017, marking the biggest year-over-year increase in six years. As such, theSPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT) is flirting with fresh annual highs, and set for its best quarter since late 2014...Read More
Stocks are mostly lower so far today. Among the names making the biggest moves are retail stock Macy's, Inc. (NYSE:M), drugmaker Insys Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:INSY), and semiconductor specialist Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU). Here's a quick look at what's moving shares of M, INSY, and MU. Retail Rally Lifts Rebounding Macy's StockMacy's stock is pacing for its highest close since early Ma...Read More
Last week, we highlighted Dow stock Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) as a potential winner from the recently passed tax bill. Today, however, Verizon stock finds itself on a more nefarious list: the worst performing stocks the week of New Year's. Below is a list of stocks that tend to struggle next week, as well as a closer look at VZ.The 25 S&P 500 Index (SPX) stocks below have been the wor...Read More
U.S. stocks are lower at midday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) all trading below breakeven. Much of the pullback can be accredited to Apple stock, which is down after reports surfaced of lackluster shipments for the iPhone X. On the flip side, retail stocks are higher after the Mastercard SpendingPulse report pointed to the biggest...Read More
Earlier we dug into two Dow stocks that could outperform next week, based on historical returns. While not as well known, another stock to buy New Year's week could be natural gas concern ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE). That's because OKE shares have finished the week higher 90% of the time over the past 10 years, according to Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White -- the best of any S&P 500...Read More
It's hard to believe that we have less than a week left in 2017, yet here we are. While the past year has been a bit rocky politically, it's been a banner year for the U.S. stock market. What's more, below we've listed 25 stocks that could start 2018 with a bang, if past is prologue, including two blue chips: Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) and Boeing Inc (NYSE:BA). Let's take a closer look at G...Read More
Apple (AAPL) stock is falling today amid reports of disappointing iPhone X demand. This in turn is putting pressure onstocks of companies that work with the tech giant, including semiconductor concerns Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) and Broadcom(NASDAQ:AVGO). Below we'll take a closer look at shares of CRUS and AVGO amid this pullback.CRUS Stock Slides AgainStarting with Cirrus Logic, the securi...Read More
Dow component Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is in focus this morning, after reports surfaced of lower-than-expected iPhone X shipments in the company's fiscal first quarter. This report has pushed Apple suppliers such as Finisar (FNSR) and Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) lower, and has AAPL trading down 3% at $169.80 in early action.Apple stock has been ramping higher lately, punctuated by a record high of...Read More
Drugmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (NYSE:TEVA) has had a rocky year, culminating in drastic cuts to its workforce and suspended dividend payments. Today, the stock is generating buzz amid reports that Israel's biggest pharmacy chain, Super-Pharm, isin talks to buy a Teva plant. Below, wetake a closer look at TEVA stock.Super-Pharm will reportedlypay between $17 - $23 million for the Ashd...Read More
Infrastructure stocks were expected to be a key beneficiary of the Trump administration's business-friendly agenda, and -- though the exchange-traded fund (ETF) features a broad international mix of companies, rather than a U.S.-focused lineup -- the price action in the iShares Global Infrastructure ETF (IGF) reflected this post-election optimism. From its pre-election close at $40.14, IGF went on...Read More
Stocks are set to pull back today, with Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures trading below fair value following the long Christmas weekend. Though this has historically been a bullish time for stocks, weakness from the tech sector could pressure U.S. markets today, mainly due to an expected pullback in Apple (AAPL) stock. Specifically, a Taiwan newspaper has reported the tech giant will cut...Read More
"It will be interesting to see if the area around the SPY's Fed-day closing level continues to mark resistance on the heels of last week's rate hike, as the 'wild card' factor of pending tax reform legislation didn't impact the stock market action around prior rate hikes in the current tightening cycle. Traders should keep this region on their radar in the days ahead... "When and if signed into la...Read More
The following is a reprint of the market commentary from the January 2018 edition of The Option Advisor, published on December 22. For more information, or to subscribe to The Option Advisor -- featuring 10 new option trades each month -- visit our online store. With a new calendar year nearly upon us, Schaeffer's Quantitative Analyst Chris Prybal recently compiled detailed seasonality stats on...Read More
Stocks faded into the close ahead of the long holiday weekend, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) both managed a fifth straight weekly win. While trading volume was much lighter than normal, there was plenty to digest on Wall Street today. Most notably, President Trump signed the new tax bill into law, as well as a short-term spending bill to avoid a government shu...Read More
2017 is winding down and the holidays are right around the corner. In the investing world, with the end of the calendar year also comes several seasonal trends that traders can take advantage of. Two examples are the Santa Claus Rally and window dressing. So, how can traders capitalize on these trends in the upcoming weeks? To answer that question and more, I spoke with Schaeffer's Senior Quantita...Read More
Chip giant Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE:AMD) is getting hammered today in sympathy withcryptocurrency stocks. AMD is off 3.7% to trade at $10.48, as the steep multi-session collapse in bitcoin prices has raised concerns that a surge in chip demand spurred by bitcoin mining could fade as quickly as it appeared.In response, AMD put volume has surged today. Over 71,000 puts have changed hands s...Read More
The Republican tax plan and bitcoin/blockchain continued to dominate headlines this week, while traders also kept an eye on Congress's attempts to avoid a government shutdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) on Monday notched its 70th all-time closing high of 2017, tying 1995 for the record, but so far has failed to make history the rest of the week. Against this backdrop, the collective o...Read More
Stocks are trading lower ahead of the long holiday weekend. Among the names making the biggest moves are Dow component UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH), as well as drug stocks Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) and La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (NASDAQ:LJPC). Here's a quick look at what's moving shares of UNH, CELG, and LJPC. UNH Stock Breaches 20-Day On M&A NewsUnitedHealth stock is down 1% tod...Read More
Weight Watchers International, Inc. (NYSE:WTW) is flying high today, with some speculating that a short squeeze may be underway. Whatever the reason, WTW shares were last seen trading up 8.7% at $51.57, and options traders are blasting the stock ahead of an onslaught of New Year's resolutions.Roughly 6,000 calls and 3,800 puts have traded on Weight Watchers stock so far -- nearly six times what's...Read More