While some blue-chips cash in, earnings season hasn't been kind to everyone. RPC Inc (NYSE:RES) reported weaker-than-expected fourth quarter earnings yesterday, sending the oil equipment stock to its worst single-day session in over two years. No fewer than nine brokerages have since chimed in with price-target cuts, including a cut to $21 from $25 at Credit Suisse -- the lowest of the bunch. In...Read More
U.S. stocks have seen whipsaw price action again today, as investors react to the latest corporate earnings reports. Specifically, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) briefly pared most of its triple-digit gain amid post-earnings volatility in Caterpillar (CAT) shares, but has since bounced back to trade near the record high it hit earlier. TheS&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are...Read More
Tech powerhouse Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is continuing its long-term trend higher, after receiving a price-target hike fromD.A. Davidson. Specifically, while maintaining its "buy" rating, the brokerage firm raised its price target to $1,800 from $1,500 -- the most bullish target ever set for the FAANG stock -- citing expectations of strong results from the company's cloud computing, andprofi...Read More
The U.S. dollar has been hammered recently, and yesterday fell to a three-year low against a basket of foreign rivals, after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin waxed optimistic on a weaker greenback. Against this backdrop, the PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund (UUP) is pacing for a seventh straight weekly loss -- something that's happened just one other time in history -- and option bears...Read More
Corporate earnings have been a big reason the U.S. stock market has been able to notch one record high after another in 2018, and the impressive quarterly updates show no sign of slowing down. Two of the most recent winners are healthcare stocks Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:VAR) and Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT). Shares of VAR are trading at record levels following the company's well-receiv...Read More
The latest round of corporate earnings reports has sparked a risk-on session on Wall Street, with the major market indexes carving out new record highs. Among specific names rising on positive earnings reactions are mining stocks Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (NYSE:CLF) and Freeport-McMoRan Inc (NYSE:FCX). Here's a closer look at how shares of CLF and FCX are trading today.Cleveland-Cliffs Stock Rallies Pa...Read More
For the second time in as many weeks, Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) is caught up in e-commerce buzz. Specifically, reports have surfaced that the grocer conducted early-stage business talks with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba (BABA). It is unclear whether the reported talks will amount to an actual partnership, but they could represent a continued effort to counter Amazon.com (AMZN) and its foray into the...Read More
Strong earnings are once again serving as a bullish catalyst for the U.S. stock market, with futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) trading above fair value after big beats from 3M (MMM) and Caterpillar (CAT). The Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) is also signaling a positive start, as Amazon (AMZN) gets a pre-market lift from a price-target hike to $1,800 at D.A. Davidson,...Read More
Despite all three major indexes reaching record intraday highs, the S&P and Nasdaq reversed early gains, finishing the day lower as comments from Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross fueled concerns about a trade war. A pullback in tech stocks also weighed on the indexes. However, a big lift from financial stocks JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Goldman Sachs (GS) kept the Dow afloat, with banks moving higher...Read More
The U.S. stock market has retreated from the record highs it set earlier, as tech stocks slide. Among individual equities on the move are electronics manufacturing specialist Cemtrex Inc (NASDAQ:CETX), fabric dyeing firm Sharing Economy International Inc (NASDAQ:SEII), and semiconductor stock Sigma Designs Inc (NASDAQ:SIGM). Here's a quick look at how shares of CETX, SEII, and SIGM are trading tod...Read More
Airline stocks are trading lower today, after United Continental's (UAL) earnings call sparked fears of pricing wars in the industry. Sector peers Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) and American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL) both report earnings before the open tomorrow, so this group will remain in focus going forward. We'll take a closer look at LUV and AAL to see what traders can expect. Leisur...Read More
Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) has found itself all over the news this week. Yesterday, an analyst at J.P. Morgan Securities predicted build for the iPhone X might be down as much as 50% this quarter. Today, the tech titan noted that medical records could be featured on the Apple Watch, and new battery features were being implemented after its much-publicized slowdown controversy.Given the flurry of new...Read More
Adding to the highly anticipated slate of earnings reports due this week is construction and mining equipment concern Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), with the Dow name expected to report fourth-quarter earnings ahead of the bell tomorrow. Below, we will take a look at how CAT stock has been faring on the charts, and how options traders are speculating ahead of tomorrow's report.Looking closer, Caterp...Read More
Another strong round of corporate earnings helped lift the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI), S&P 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) to record highs this morning. While the latter two have since erased these earlier gains, the Dow is holding higher thanks to a rally in financial stocks -- with Goldman Sachs (GS) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) some of the best performing blue chips so far. Gol...Read More
It's officially earnings season, with a handful of blue chips and big-cap stocks reporting this week. What's more, there are still hundreds of notable companies still on deck to report soon. Against this backdrop, we decided to take a look at some stocks that could make big moves on the charts, if past is prologue -- including Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) and Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) -- an...Read More
Shares of SAGE Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SAGE) gapped 70% higher on Dec. 7, after the biotech reported well-received data for one of its depression drugs. The shares have yet to slow down, topping out at a record high of $183.05 earlier. Though SAGE stock was trading down 0.4% at $179.85 at last check, if history is any guide, the drug name could still be headed deeper into uncharted territory.Spec...Read More
Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) said fourth-quarter profit plunged 67%, due mostly to costs related to U.S. tax reform. On an adjusted basis, the company reported earnings of $1.09 per share -- matching the consensus estimate. While the chipmaker's $3.75 billion in quarterly revenue edged past the forecast, TXN stock is down 5.4% to trade at $113.46, following a disappointing current-q...Read More
United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE: UAL) yesterday reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, but the stock is still trading 8.4% lower today at $71.44. The move is likely the result of the company's announcement that it's raising capacity to gain an advantage against lower-cost competitors. Some investors may be concerned this decision will eat into United's profit margins, howev...Read More
Shares of drug concern Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) are plummeting, after Goldman Sachs initiated coverage on VRX stock with a "sell" rating and a price target of $18 -- a discount of more than 19% to yesterday's close. The brokerage firm citedbalance sheet concerns,litigation risks, and competition-related pressure for key products in the near term. In response, VRX was last seen d...Read More
Two healthcare stocks are making noise this morning, for different reasons. Biotech Puma Biotechnology Inc (NASDAQ:PBYI) reported a setback with its cancer drug in Europe, while blood transfusion specialist Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ:CERS) scored a big win with a late-stage study. Below is a quick look at shares of PBYI and CERS.Puma Biotechnology Hit With Downgrade Amid Europe ConcernsPuma Biotec...Read More