Chip makers have been in focus to start the new year, after Intel's (INTC) reported Spectre security flaws. Fellow chipmaker Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) has also struggled lately, on track to shed 8.4% this week. However, this pullback puts MU stock within one standard deviation of its 80-day moving average, a trendline with historically bullish implications.According to Schaeffer's Sen...Read More

Coming off a historical 2017, the U.S. stock market has started 2018 with a bang. In fact, the Dow, S&P 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) each hit new record highs in each of the first six trading sessions of the year -- a first-time feat for the major benchmarks. Against this backdrop, several sentiment indicators are pointing to levels of extreme optimism in the stock market. However,...Read More

For the second time already this year, Wall Street looks ahead to a holiday-shortened week. However, that's not to say it will be a quiet week, as earnings season begins to rev up. A handful of financial companies will step up to the plate, with the likes of American Express (AXP), Bank of America (BAC), Goldman Sachs (GS), and Morgan Stanley (MS) headlining the bunch. Dow members IBM (IBM) and Un...Read More

U.S. stock indexes are bouncing back in a big way after a rare setback on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) have both hit record peaks, and the S&P 500 Index (SPX) is within striking distance of a fresh high, as well. The energy sector is a major reason for today's gains, with oil stock Chevron (CVX) providing the biggest boost to the Dow, as February c...Read More

SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWR) is up 9.6% to trade at $9.31, on track to finish about the $9 level for the first time since Dec. 22. Earlier in the week, however, the solar stock pulled back to within one standard deviation of its 40-day moving average. This SPWR pullback may have marked a buying opportunity,as the trendline has historically had bullish implications.According to Schaeffer's...Read More

The U.S. stock market will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. If past is prologue, the S&P 500 Index (SPX) could be in for a rough holiday week, too. Below, we take a look at how the SPX tends to perform during MLK Week, and why buyers should beware blue-chip stock American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) ahead of earnings.S&P Struggles During MLK WeekSince 1998, the S&P has...Read More

Footwear stocks Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE:FL) and Finish Line Inc (NASDAQ:FINL) are in the headlines today after the sector peers garnered some attention from analysts at Wells Fargo ahead of today's opening bell. Here's a closer look at how FL and FINL stocks are faring. Foot Locker Falls Despite Positive Analyst AttentionFL is down 0.7% to trade at $45.94 after Well Fargo upped its price target...Read More

With oil prices rising in recent months to multi-year highs, it's not surprising Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) has been on a strong run since this past July. CVX shares have gained 23.6% in the past six months, and this morning touched a fresh three-year high of $129.95. Let's take a closer look at Chevron stock and this morning's brokerage attention below. BMO this morning upgraded the energy gi...Read More

Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT) is making headlines this morning, after the blue chip announced it's raising its starting wage to $11 an hour, while giving other eligible full-time employees one-time cash bonuses. It also will be expanding maternity and parental leave benefits. The added benefits can be attributed to the tax law changes that were enacted last month. WMT stock has added 45% year-o...Read More

Xerox Corp (NYSE:XRX) is reportedly in talks to team up with Japanese camera maker Fujifilm Holdings. According to the Wall Street Journal, the copy specialist is under pressure from Carl Icahn -- its largest stakeholder -- to modernize, with the activist investor warning in an open letter to shareholders last December that XRX could end up like Eastman Kodak. And while the two companies have been...Read More

The U.S. stock rally appears ready to resume today, with futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) above fair value. The benchmarks logged their first loss of 2018 yesterday, on reports China was considering scaling back its U.S. bond purchases, though Beijing has since dismissed the speculation as "fake news." While bank stocks appear ready for a positive session ahead of four...Read More

The final stretch of 2017 started with a bang for our Weekend Trader options recommendation services, as traders closed out three winners in three days. First, our Dollar Tree (DLTR) call option was closed out at a 102% gain on Nov. 29, less than two months after it was initially recommended. Then, on Nov. 30, a Kroger (KR) call option hit its target for a 104% return in a little over two weeks, w...Read More

Stocks ended their winning streaks, finishing the day in the red, though the major market indexes settled well off their session lows. The Dow was down triple digits in early trading, amid reports that China will scale backbuying U.S. bonds. A rally in bank stocks helped the blue-chip index creep north of breakeven for a short time, but growing concerns that President Trump will pull out of the No...Read More

The U.S. stock rally may have finally hit a wall, with futures trading below fair value this morning. The bond market is in focus today, with 10-year Treasury yields climbing north of the key 2.5% level after Bloomberg reported China may slow or stop the purchase of U.S. bonds. While the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI), S&P 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) appear ready to retreat aft...Read More

Considering how well copper futures have performed in recent months, it may not be too surprising that long copper positions are at a record high, based on the most recent Commitment of Traders (CoT) report. Meanwhile, data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White shows that 95% of the stocks in our Industrial Metals and Mining sector are trading above their 80-day moving average,...Read More

Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) turned in a strong annual return in 2017. However, the stock could have more fuel in the tank. Although DE stock was last seen down 0.6% at $164.54, the shares hit a record high of $168.44 earlier after receiving some bullish analyst attention, and just flashed a familiar buy signal. Deere & Co stock was upgraded to "outperform" from "sector perform" at RBC this morning,...Read More

As the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) stare down their first loss of 2018, several stocks are proving to be resilient in the risk-off session. Among them are cancer specialist Epizyme Inc (NASDAQ:EPZM), MoviePass owner Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc (NASDAQ:HMNY), and da Vinci Surgical System parent Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG). Here's a quick look at what has shares...Read More

Analysts at Longbow today opined that while Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) suppliers Qorvo Inc (NASDAQ:QRVO) and Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:SWKS) were strong in 2017, weak trends out of China (subscription required) will linger in the first quarter. However, while Apple is facing scrutiny about a number of issues -- its slowing of older iPhones, youth phone addiction, and iPhone X demand, to name a...Read More

The U.S. stock market closed out last year with impressive gains -- a trend that was echoed in our Top Stocks for 2017. On the list of 10 names we recommended was Whole Foods Market, Inc. (WFM), which proceeded to rack up a 35.62% return after our bullish recommendation -- thanks largely to a high-profile takeover by Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN). Here's a closer look at what put WFM on our radar, and how...Read More

U.S. stocks are off their early morning lows, but the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) is still trading firmly in negative territory. Investors continue to react to reports China may be rethinking its long-held strategy of buying U.S. debt, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury holding above the closely watched 2.5% level at last check. With the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) f...Read More