It's been a rough week for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). With today's 1.6% drop to trade at $150.94, the shares are pacing for a nearly 6% weekly decline -- their worst weekly loss since April 2016 -- amid pressure from negative Apple Watch reviews. And while iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus go on sale today -- an event that could spark a "rocky day" for Apple due to lackluster sales, according to Loup Vent...Read More
Put options are usually thought of as bearish trading vehicles. However, puts can be utilized forbearish, bullish, and directionally neutral trading strategies. To gain more insight on the subject of put selling and all it has to offer, I spoke with Schaeffer's Senior V.P. of Research Todd Salamone.We issue at least two put-sell recommendations in our monthly Option Advisor newsletter. What indi...Read More
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is slightly lower at midday,as markets digest another nuclear bomb threat from North Korea, and reports that the country's next nuclear test could include a hydrogen bomb into the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, healthcare stocks are in the red, and Apple stock continues to sink, even with today's iPhone 8 launch, on track for its worst weekly loss since April 201...Read More
Bank stocks have been outperforming in recent weeks, as the September Fed meeting has increased interest in the group, especially after signaling plans for a December rate hike. As such, we've been watching the SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE), which is on a four-day win streak -- though the regional bank exchange-traded fund (ETF) is 0.2% lower today at $43.34. And while its chart still looks promising -...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on e-commerce powerhouse eBay Inc (NASDAQ:EBAY), pharmaceutical company Ascendis Pharma (NASDAQ:ASND), and aerospace concern Boeing Co (NYSE:BA). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of EBAY, ASND, and BA. Benchmark Ups Price Target on EBAYBenchmark raised its EBAY price target to $45 from $40, but at last check, the stock was trading 0.3% lo...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on biotech stocks Versartis Inc (NASDAQ:VSAR) and Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ICPT), as well as luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of VSAR, ICPT, and TIF.VSAR's Drug Fail Leads to a Flurry of Bearish Analyst AttentionVSAR stock is currently down a whopping 86% to trade at $3.02, a new...Read More
Dow futures are signaling a lower open due to renewed fears surrounding North Korea. Among specific stocks in focus today are used car retailer CarMax, Inc (NYSE:KMX), athletic apparel retailer Finish Line Inc (NASDAQ:FINL), and telecom stock Sprint Corp (NYSE:S). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of KMX, FINL, and S. KMX Stock Rises After Earnings BeatCarMax stock is up 2.7% in pr...Read More
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are pointed lower this morning, after the index snapped its seven-session run of record closes and nine-day win streak Thursday. Traders are digestinganother nuclear bomb threat from North Korea, as Kim Jong Un warned of the "highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history," following President Trump's threats to "totally destroy" the country if pro...Read More
Although the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) hit a fresh record high early on, the blue-chip index snapped its seven-session run of record closes and nine-day win streak. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (COMP) struggled as well, as Apple stock extended its slide and traders considered a potential December rate hike following yesterday's Fed announcement. Meanwhile, gold suff...Read More
Video game titans Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) and Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) could be subject to extra investor attention next week. Per data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, the stocks have been two of the biggest gainers on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) in the past six months -- and could be ripe for increased buying activity as the third quarter comes to an...Read More
U.S. stocks are trading lower this afternoon, with the Dow at risk of snapping its nine-session winning streak. Among the names in the spotlight today are biopharmaceutical company Akari Therapeutics PLC (NASDAQ:AKTX), oil concern Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG), and steel stock AK Steel Holding Corporation (NYSE:AKS). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of AKTX, RIG, and AKS.Akari Therap...Read More
Since news of a massive data breach first hit earlier this month, shares of Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) have shed nearly one-third of their value. And while the shares were last seen trading up 1.1% at $97.06 -- comfortably off their Sept. 14 two-year low of $89.59 -- even after the company acknowledged yesterday that a hacker had initially comprised its system on March 10 and that it's been sending c...Read More
When we checked in on regenerative tissue specialist MiMedx Group Inc (NASDAQ:MDXG) last month, it looked like the sky was the limit, with the shares sporting a year-over-year gain of 130% and trading near $17. Things are drastically different this time around, however, with MDXG stock last seen trading near $12.39. The sell-off comes after Viceroy Research released yesterday a short seller re...Read More
Athletic apparel retailer Finish Line Inc (NASDAQ:FINL) will take its late-season turn in the earnings confessional tomorrow morning. FINL stock has a history of making big post-earnings swings in either direction, and one options trader today is betting on a repeat performance -- and paying a pretty penny to do so.FINL Options Traders Have Been Targeting PutsSo far today, 45,870 options have trad...Read More
U.S. stocks are pulling back after the Federal Reserve's latestmeeting, with the Dow at risk of snapping its nine-day winning streak. Two managed healthcare stocks also pulling back today are CIGNA Corporation (NYSE:CI) and UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH), as President Trump tries to push a new Republican healthcare bill through Congress. The stocks' retreats, however, could create compelling...Read More
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is lower at midday, pulling back as markets digest the Fed's plans to shrink its balance sheet, as well as hints of an additional rate hike in December. In addition, Apple stock is once again reeling, pacing for its worst week since June. While the Dow touched a record intraday high earlier, its seventh straight record close and nine-session winning streak...Read More
All eyes will be on the Fed next week, after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) yesterday detailed plans to begin unwinding its $4.5 trillion balance sheet beginning in October. Specifically, Wall Street will look to daily appearances from Federal Reserve officials for more specifics -- as well as possible hints on a December rate hike -- with Tuesday's late-morning address from Fed Chair Ja...Read More
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) wrapped up its highly anticipated September meeting yesterday, with the central bank hinting at a December rate hike, andunveiling plans to start unwinding its balance sheet. Ahead of the announcement, we decided to look at the best and worst stocks and sectors during Fed Week.While gold and silver ETFs tend to do well, the VanEck Vectors Oil Services ET...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on financial software company Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), automotive concern General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and semiconductor specialist Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of INTU, GM, and TXN. Wells Fargo Sees New Highs for INTU StockWells Fargo upgraded INTU stock to "outperform," and raised...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on pharma stock Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB), toymaker JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK), and packaged foods concern General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of BIIB, JAKK, and GIS.Raymond James Downgrades Biogen Amid Drug CompetitionBiogen stock is down 0.8% to trade at $315.83, after Raymond James downgraded the phar...Read More