Unless you've been hiding under a rock, you've likely been bombarded by bitcoin-related headlines over the past couple of weeks. Not only are various talking heads already suggesting a "bitcoin bubble" in the wake of last week's highly anticipated bitcoin futures launch, but several media outlets have attributed the recently dulled appetite for gold and other commodities to the soaring popularity...Read More

Pharmacy benefits provider Express Scripts Holding Company (NASDAQ:ESRX) has found new life since its mid-October bottom, rallying roughly 28% since to close at its highest point since March on Friday. In the process, the shares pushed through the $64 level, which is three times the 2009 low, and have broken out north of a trendline connecting lower highs since mid-2015. On the fundamental front,...Read More

Superstore stock Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is moving higher this morning, after Citigroup upgraded the shares to "buy" from "neutral," and raised its price target to $117 from $106. In a note to clients, Citi saidit was "a big mistake" to stay on the WMT sidelines in 2017, but thinks there's more upside to come in 2018, particularly with rivals like Costco (COST) and Home Depot (HD) tradi...Read More

Instinet downgraded Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to "neutral" from "buy" and lowered its price target to $175 from $185 -- a slight discount to last night's close at $176.42 -- citing expectations for limited upside to iPhone X sales. The brokerage firm also cut its full-year earnings per share estimates for both 2018 and 2019. In reaction, AAPL stock is 0.8% lower in pre-market trading.An Apple downg...Read More

U.S. stock futures are signaling another rally, putting the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) on pace for another record-breaking session. The upbeat approach comes as Congress is expected to begin voting on tax reform as early as today, with the new tax bill now widely expected to pass. Meanwhile, traders are digesting November housing starts, which topped expectations,...Read More

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) finished over 140 points higher, securing its 70th record close of 2017 -- tying 1995 for the most all-time closing highs in a single year. Both the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) followed suit, notching their own record highs, with the latter index topping 7,000 for the first time ever. Anticipation continues to build for the final Rep...Read More

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) is slated to take its late-season turn in the earnings confessional after tomorrow's close. The delivery giant has a history of positive post-earnings reactions, with the shares settling higher the next day in six of the past eight quarters, and averaging a gain of 4.4%. This time around, the options market is pricing in a single-session swing of 5.1% for Wednesday's t...Read More

Although the pace of earnings reports have drastically slowed, a few key companies are still making their way to the stage -- with one in particular being semiconductor powerhouse Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU). The company is expected to report fiscal first-quarter earnings after the close tomorrow, Dec. 19, and if past is precedent, MU stock's post-earnings reaction could be positive. At la...Read More

BMO boosted its price target on Freeport-McMoRan Inc (NYSE:FCX) to $18 from $17, sending the shares up 2.7% to trade at $17.44 -- and earlier to a two-year high of $17.46 -- bringing their year-to-date gain to 32.2%. Optimism toward the surging mining stock appears to be growing in the options pits, too, with calls trading at two times the average intraday pace this afternoon, and one trader raisi...Read More

The U.S. stock market is soaring to all-time highs again thanks to growing tax reform optimism. Among the names making big moves are financial services provider Longfin Corp (NASDAQ:LFIN), Chinese e-tailer JD.com Inc (NASDAQ:JD), and drug stock Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE:VRX). Here's a quick look at what's moving shares of LFIN, JD, and VRX. LFIN Stock Surge ContinuesLongfin...Read More

The shares of healthcare insurer Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) are higher today, and are on the cusp of toppling the century level, thanks to some upbeat analyst attention. What's more, CNC stock could have even more gas in the tank, if past is prologue. Meanwhile, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) stock is down 0.2% at $369.09 today, but could also be headed for a bounce. Below, we'll explain why...Read More

The 20 stocks listed in the table below have attracted the highest weekly options volume during the past 10 trading days. Stocks highlighted in yellow are new entries to the list. Data is courtesy of Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White. Two names to note are streaming giant Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and semiconductor stock Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC). Below, we'll break do...Read More

U.S. stocks are up this afternoon, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) all scoring fresh record highs thanks to heightened optimism over the finalized Republican tax plan that is expected to be voted into law later this week. In fact, the Nasdaq topped 7,000 for the first time ever just moments ago, while a flurry of M&A activity is givi...Read More

Shares of CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX) slumped 7.6% to settle at $52.93 on Friday following news the transportation company's CEO Hunter Harrison would take a medical leave. After Harrison's unexpected death over the weekend, CSX shares are down 1.9% in electronic trading -- set to test a key technical trendline again today.Specifically, CSX is poised to touch its 180-day moving average today -- a...Read More

Shares of cloud services provider Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM) are surging today thanks to news hedge fund Elliot Management has taken a 6.5% stake in the company. According to the hedge fund, AKAM stock is "significantly undervalued." So far today the security has jumped 14.2% to trade at $65.96, taking out a few key technical levels in the process. Specifically, the stock has barreled...Read More

Bitcoin futures began trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange today, sending shares of CME Group Inc (NASDAQ:CME) up 0.5% to trade at $151.77. This comes one week after the launch of the cryptocurrency's futures on the Cboe Global Markets (CBOE) -- and follows yesterday's news that TD Ameritrade (AMTD) will allow its customers to trade bitcoin futures on the CBOE. As the digital currency's plat...Read More

The fall of the retail sector in recent years has been well covered on Wall Street, but many of these stocks have found new life heading into the holiday season. Take for example the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT), which has gained 14.5% since its Nov. 8 bottom. Three names that have also rallied during this time are Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS), and American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO). And...Read More

Drug stocks are in focus this morning, including Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX). Both CELG and VRTX received price-target boosts from Morgan Stanley this morning, but one outlook was decidedly more bullish than the other. Here's a look at how CELG and VRTX are reacting today.CELG Stock Extends Recovery from Post-Earnings LowsWhile Morgan Sta...Read More

Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) stock is up 5.1% to trade at $23.36, a new annual high, after the social media stock received an upgrade to "overweight" from "neutral" at J.P. Morgan Securities, as well as a price-target hike to $27 from $20 -- in territory not charted since late 2015. The analysts believe Twitter is on track for continued double-digit average user growth in 2018, and called it one of the...Read More

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are trading well above fair value this morning, signaling fresh record highs, as stocks look ready to rally. The same is true for S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) futures, thanks to growing optimism around a Republican tax plan that's now expected to be voted into law this week. On the economic front, investors will digest the NAHB housing...Read More