The last day of the third quarter was positive for stocks, though the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) spent most of the day trading modestly lower. The S&P 500 Index (SPX), on the other hand, roared to fresh record highs, as did the Nasdaq Composite (COMP), thanks to a major rebound in large-cap tech stocks. Traders continued to consider the Trump administration's tax plan, while also diges...Read More

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) is scheduled to report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and September sales data after the U.S. stock market closes next Thursday, Oct. 5. Over the past eight quarters, the shares have averaged a single-session post-earnings move of 2.8%, with the options market pricing in a slightly bigger swing of 3.5% this time around. The majority of the time, COST stoc...Read More

U.S. stocks are trading mixed this afternoon, with the Nasdaq touching a record high thanks to rallying techstocks.One tech stock helping the index climb is artificial intelligence (AI) platform maker Veritone Inc (NASDAQ:VERI). Two other stocks trading higher today are smartphone name BlackBerry Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) and biotech AveXis Inc (NASDAQ:AVXS). Here's a quick look at what is moving s...Read More

In a month that's typically cruel to stocks, small-caps have been on fire, with the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) hitting a record high again today. And while we recently looked at the best small-cap stocks to buy in the month of October and in the fourth quarter, today we decided to take a look at some that bulls may want to avoid in the short term. Below is a list of the 25 worst small-cap stocks for...Read More

Snack and drink giant PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) is scheduled to report earnings before the market opens next Wednesday, Oct. 4, and the stock is trading near a key level ahead of the event. Specifically, data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White shows that PEP shares have pulled back within one standard deviation of their 320-day moving average, and going back three years, thi...Read More

Stocks started the week in negative territory, as concerns over a possible nuclear war with North Korea resurfaced. However, a big rally in bank stocks after the release of the White House's tax plan helped boost the stock market mid-week -- and overshadow another failed attempt at an Obamacare repeal. And while the revived Trump trade helped send the S&P 500 Index (SPX) to new highs and the Dow J...Read More

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is slightly lower at midday, as traders weigh lackluster inflation data against a surprise increase in the Chicago purchasing managers index (PMI). However, the Dow is on track to post a weekly and monthly gain, and its eighth straight quarter in the black-- is its longest win streak in over 20 years. Both the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (COM...Read More

Yesterday we took a close look at the top small-cap stocks to own in October, and on that list was airline concern SkyWest, Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYW). This is part of a larger phenomenon, too, since two large-cap airline stocks are among the best S&P 500 Index (SPX) stocks to own during the month. Let's take a closer look at SKYW shares as they approach a very bullish time of year. Flat out, the equity...Read More

Analysts are weighing in on specialty retailer Conn's Inc (NASDAQ:CONN), computer graphics company Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), and homebuilder KB Home (NYSE:KBH). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of CONN, NVDA, and KBH. "Undervalued" CONN Gets an Upgrade from OppenheimerOppenheimer upgraded CONN to "outperform" from "perform" before the bell, with analyst B...Read More

Analysts are weighing in on biotech stocks PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTCT) and Prothena Corporation (NASDAQ:PRTA), as well as oil-and-gas stock Weatherford International(NYSE:WFT). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of PTCT, PRTA, and WFT.PTC Therapeutics Stock Resumes Trading, Shrugs Off Price-Target CutEarlier in the week, PTC Therapeutics stock tanked a...Read More

The last day of the third quarter is shaping up to be a down one for U.S. stocks. Among specific stocks in focus today are e-commerce giant Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), biotech Zogenix, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZGNX), and chicken specialist Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of AMZN, ZGNZ, and TSN. Amazon Stock Pointer Higher Despite Data BreachAmazon stock is u...Read More

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are pointed lower this morning, after the index posted its second straight win yesterday. Traders are still trying to find their footing after Fed Chair Janet Yellen's hawkish remarks and President Trump's tax plan earlier this week. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) is also signaling a lower start, while the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) edges higher before the bell. Al...Read More

Whether you're buying or selling to open, there are a few different ways to enter an options trade. Today, we'll discuss two commons types of orders investors can place with their broker, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each.Market Orders and Limit OrdersOne such order traders can place with their broker is called a market order. Options players use market orders when they want to b...Read More

U.S. stock markets managed to shrug off a sluggish start and close mostly higher, as traders continued to parse through the Trump administration's tax plan. The Dow Jones Industrial (DJIA) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) both pushed higher -- with the latter index notching a record close -- though the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (COMP) trailed its index peers for most of the day. Outside of Washingt...Read More

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) and energy stocks have enjoyed a solid September, a month that is typically cruel to stocks. Hurricanes Irma and Harvey created in higher oil prices in the wake of production delays. However, XOM's recent rally has it squaring off with a previous layer of technical resistance -- and with seasonal headwinds looming, it may be a good time to take a defensive stance...Read More

U.S. stocks are trading slightly higher this afternoon after a mixed bag of economic data was released. Three stocks trading higher today are blue-chip leader McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD), pharmaceutical concern AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV), and newly public streaming entertainment stock Roku Inc (NASDAQ:ROKU). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of MCD, ABBV, and ROKU.MCD Gets Bullish A...Read More

Earlier we took at the 25 worst stocks to own in October, a list that includes Dow component Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO). We examine the tech stock below, taking a closer look at recent options activity on CSCO. Cisco is Staring Up at Potential Options-Related ResistanceCSCO sports a year-to-date lead of 10.4%, last seen trading at $33.37. However, the shares were recently rejected near the...Read More

Small-cap stocks have been on a tear recently, as evidenced by the recent record highs in the Russell 2000 Index (RUT). The small-cap barometer on Tuesday rallied as high $142.85, and enjoyed its best session in six months. Against this backdrop, we decided to crunch the numbers to find some possible small-cap stock-buying opportunities in the short term. Below are the 25 best small-cap stocks in...Read More

Options trading has been extraordinarily heavy on artificial intelligence (AI) specialist NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) in recent weeks, with calls particularly popular as the chip stock carves out new highs. Here's a closer look at how options traders have been placing their bets on NVDA.The 20 stocks listed in the table below have attracted the highest total weekly options volume during the p...Read More

Even as the major stock indexes flirt with record highs, short sellers have been coming out of the woodwork lately. Short interest on S&P 500 Index (SPX) stocks has crept steadily higher for most of 2017, and now sits at the highest point since before the presidential election, after rising another 4.06% in the last reporting period. Among the stocks that could see short covering soon, according t...Read More