As surprising and uncharacteristic as a Donald Trump presidency is, it might not make sense to compare this year to past presidential cycles, but I have decided to do it anyway. It's well known that historically, stocks have been outstanding in the third year of the cycle. The theory is, that before the election year politicians focus their energy on campaigning, they tend to pass legislation that...Read More

In our Midday Market Check newsletter, we highlighted the huge move from Switzerland-based gene editing firm Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP), but that was just part of a much larger theme today. A number of stocks with gene editing exposure saw sharp gains today, and one of the biggest returns came from Editas Medicine Inc (NASDAQ:EDIT). Just take a look at EDIT stock's peers, according to Google Finan...Read More

The first trading day of 2018 started on a strong note, with the Dow up nearly 145 points out of the gate this morning. The blue-chip index peaked early in the session, though, despite upbeat manufacturing data and an extended slide for the U.S. dollar. While the Dow finished just off its intraday high, New Year's week is firmly on pace to extend its bullish track record -- and the S&P 500 and Nas...Read More

TESARO Inc (NASDAQ:TSRO) stumbled to the finish line in 2017, shedding 2% in December alone. To make matters worse, the biotech stock is starting off 2018 reacting to a flurry of bearish analyst attention -- sending the shares even deeper into the red.Piper Jaffray and Cowen and Company both issued price-target cuts to $80 for Tesaro this morning. As such, TSRO stock has dropped 8.8% at last check...Read More

Stocks have kicked off 2018 on a high note, with tech shares leading the path higher. Among other names making big moves are pharma stock Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT), biotech Achaogen Inc (NASDAQ:AKAO), and fast casual dining name Chanticleer Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:BURG). Here's a quick look at what's boosting shares of ABT, AKAO, and BURG.ABT Stock Earns a Pair of High-Profile UpgradesAbbott Lab...Read More

Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:LULU) is starting off the year with an impressive slew of analyst attention, as the athletic apparel stock received no fewer than three price-target raises today. Telsey Advisory Group hiked its forecast to $92 from $84, while J.P. Morgan Securities upped its target to $87 from $79. The third raise, to $88 from $78, came from Citigroup -- despite the brokerage firm...Read More

SAGE Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SAGE) had a rip-roaring end to 2017, tacking on 78% in December, and touching an all-time high of $173.36 on Dec. 8. It appears the momentum might spill over into 2018, with the drug stock sending up a signal to buy short-term options right now.While SAGE stock vaulted up the charts, its short-term options prices remained in the proverbial basement. The equity's Sch...Read More

U.S. stocks are broadly higher halfway through the first trading day of 2018. While the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has pared much of its triple-digit lead, the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are holding their early gains as tech and energy stocks outperform. Adding to the risk-on bias is the Markit purchasing managers manufacturing index (PMI) for December, which revealed...Read More

Shares of Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:ROST) closed out 2017 with a bang, surging 22.3% year-over-year and hitting a record high of $81.48 on Friday, Dec. 29. The retail stock is continuing this momentum into the new year -- last seen trading up 0.7% at $80.80, after Citigroup raised its price target to $85 from $72 and Nomura said the company will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the GOP tax o...Read More

Riot Blockchain Inc (NASDAQ:RIOT) is down 3.9% at $27.28, even as bitcoin trades higher. Today's downside comes after CEO John O'Rourke revealed in an SEC filing that he sold 19,583 RIOT shares for $28.45 apiece, and 10,800 shares for $28.90 each. The transaction occurred last Friday, Dec. 29, when RIOT stock closed at $28.40.In the last three months, the shares have nearly quadrupled in value --...Read More

Online streaming subscription service Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is soaring this morning after the stock received an upgrade to "outperform" from "neutral" at Macquarie, along with a price-target raise to $220 from $200. In a note to clients, the brokerage firm also stated that the FAANG stock is "miles ahead" of its streaming competition in terms of original content, and asserted, "Netflix has w...Read More

Pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has kicked off the new year in lackluster fashion. The Dow stock was downgraded this morning to "neutral" from "overweight" at J.P. Morgan Securities. The brokerage firm noted that it is still fundamentally bullish on Johnson & Johnson -- evidenced by the fact it kept its price target at $150 -- but said there are more compelling large-cap play...Read More

Stock futures are signaling a positive start to the new year, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), S&P 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) notched impressive 2017 returns. The premarket gains come as February-dated crude futures hold above the $60-per-barrel mark amid increasing political tension in Iran and the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) points to a fifth straight down day. Ahead...Read More

McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD) is set to start the new year on the right foot, thanks to a bullish note from Nomura. The brokerage firm named the fast food giant its top pick for domestic restaurant stocks, expecting a number of factors -- including a new Dollar Menu -- to lead to better-than-expected results over the next two years. As such, the covering analyst raised his price target to $190...Read More

The books for 2017 are closed, but as we move into 2018, loyal readers of Monday Morning Outlook are fully aware that the year-end closing levels on major equity, volatility, commodity, and currency benchmarks -- along with their related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) -- could serve as key potential support and resistance levels. This could be the case at least early in 2018, and maybe throughout th...Read More

Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU), operator of the eponymous (and seemingly ubiquitous) streaming entertainment platform, made its Nasdaq trading debut as recently as Sept. 28, when the stock's initial public offering (IPO) priced at $14 per share. After a big two-day post-IPO rally, it was a tough slog for ROKU over the next month. From their Sept. 29 close at $26.54, the shares went on to shed 29% of their val...Read More

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) closed lower today, yet still finished 2017 on a high note by securing monthly and quarterly wins. For the year, the Dow tacked on 25% on its way to 71 record closes and its ninth straight month in the black -- the longest monthly winning streak in 60 years. Both the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) also faltered in thin trading today. How...Read More

The consolidation pattern in the $90-$95 area over the past three months by drug stock AbbVie (ABBV) appears very similar to that of June through July (in the $70-$75 area), which was followed by a rapid 30% rally.Reasons to believe the most recent consolidation has been completed include: support that manifested at the 50-day moving average on a pullback earlier this month; ongoing "micro-moves"...Read More

Stocks are trading mixed during the last trading day of the year. A few names making big moves are tech issue Energous Corp (NASDAQ:WATT), biotech Atara Biotherapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ATRA), and bank stock Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS). Let's see what's moving shares of WATT, ATRA, and GS. WATT Stock Honeymoon Comes to an EndAfter two gigantic up days, Energous stock is trading 15.2% lower at $...Read More

Today we are taking a closer look at volatility -- specifically, what it means when there is an abundance or lack of volatility, as well as the two primary types of volatility each options trader must know. In the simplest terms, volatility is defined as the propensity of the underlying stock's market price to change in either direction... but there's much more to the topic than that. Below, we wi...Read More