Commodities stocks BHP Billiton Limited (NYSE:BHP) and Teck Resources Ltd (NYSE:TECK) are trading higher today, thanks to mining sector tailwinds. What's more, both stocks recently bounced off key trendlines that have had bullish implications in the past. If history repeats itself, BHP and TECK stocks could be screaming "buy" right now.BHP Could Hit New Highs, If History RepeatsAt last check, BHP...Read More
Barclays this morning upped its price target on Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) to $65 from $58, sending the shares to their highest point since their August 2016 bear gap. This comes after Guggenheim yesterday raised its price target to $75. At last check, BMY stock was up 0.4% at $65.60, earlier topping out at $66.10, putting it above a key technical level. For instance, the security is curre...Read More
It's no secret that buying call options is cheaper than buying a stock outright. For traders lookingto stretch their dollar even further while mimicking the risk/reward of stock ownership, there's an even better alternative: a synthetic long options strategy.What Is a Synthetic Long Options Strategy?This strategy provides investors an opportunity to simulate the payoff of a long stock positio...Read More
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are trading higher this afternoon, all threefresh from record highs, despite a mixed bag of bank earnings. Traders are also digesting the latest data on inflation and retail sales, as well as renewed threats of a missile strike on Guam from North Korea, and President Trump's plan to decertify the Iran nuc...Read More
AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) made headlines yesterday, warning that their third-quarter revenue and profit would be lower due to the influx of Hurricanes a month prior. This news cuts into a sector that has already been underperforming, according to Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White. Only 36% of the stocks in our telecom sector are above their 80-day moving average -- tied for the lowest...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on fiber-optic communications concern Applied Optoelectronics Inc (NASDAQ:AAOI), as well as hospital stocks Tenet Healthcare Corp (NYSE:THC) and Community Health Systems (NYSE:CYH). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of AAOI, CYH, and THC.Earnings Warning Sinks AAOI StockApplied Optoelectronics stock is down 21% at $46.51, after the company...Read More
U.S. stocks are trading higher this morning, en route to new record highsas third-quarter earnings roll in. Among the stocks making moves this morning are financial institution Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC), bank holding company Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC), and gene therapy concern Sparks Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ONCE). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of BAC, WFC and ONCE.Bank of Am...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on TV streaming platform Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), software solutions provider HP Inc (NASDAQ:HPQ), and car maker General Motors Company (NYSE:GM). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of NFLX, HPQ, and GM.Netflix Scores Price-Target Hikes Ahead of Earnings, Breaks $200Netflix stock is trading up 2.3% at $200.33, earlier hitting a record...Read More
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are higher ahead of the bell, signaling another record high for the index, as traders weigh the latest round of bank earnings and economic data. Bank of America stock is pointed higher after earnings, while fellow financial concern Wells Fargo is headed lower. Futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are slightly higher as well,...Read More
Despite notching record highs in intraday trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), S&P 500 Index (SPX), and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) closed in the red today. Poorly received earnings from big banks like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup pressured financial stocks lower, while AT&T's warning about third-quarter results weighed on telecom stocks. Meanwhile, traders digested President Trump's ex...Read More
Subscribers to Schaeffer's Option Advisor service recently scored a 100% profit from January 2018 82.50-strike Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) puts. Below, we'll break down why we were bearish on WBA and how the successful options trade unfolded. On Sept. 20, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved Walgreens Boots Alliance's bid to buy roughly 42% of Rite Aid stores. The news sent W...Read More
U.S. stocks are slightly lower today, despite the Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite all touching record highs earlier. Retail stocks Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE:ETH), Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM), and Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ:ULTA) are all having days to forget, amid sector headwinds. Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of ETH, WSM, and ULTA.Ethan Allen Stock Slides After Lowere...Read More
Options trading has been red-hot on Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), with total open interest of 2.59 million contracts at the top of its annual range. Calls have the edge over puts, with 1.53 million of the former and 1.05 million of the latter currently open. Regardless of how options traders are positioning themselves, though, those purchasing short-term premium are able to do so at a relat...Read More
Health insurance stock UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) is down 0.8% today at $193.61, with healthcare stocks in focus after President Trump signed an executive order aimed at rolling back parts of Obamacare. However, UNH shares are now trading just above their 80-day moving average, a trendline that has had bullish implications in the past. If history repeats, UNH stock could be headed back towa...Read More
Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) is up 4% at $18.43, putting the shares on pace for their highest close since their late-July bear gap. Interestingly, this puts TWTR stock on pace to close atop its 24-month -- or two-year -- moving average for the first time ever. Meanwhile, options traders continue to bet on more upside from the security. First of all, the equity has a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 4.8...Read More
The shares of credit agency Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) are in the red today, after the company took one of its web pages offline to look into another potential cybersecurity attack. Just over a month ago, Equifax revealed a massive data breach impacting millions of consumers, sparking a round of executive departures and lots of heat from Washington, D.C. At last check, EFX stock is down 1.2% at $109....Read More
A handful of Federal Reserve officials will step up to the podium again this week. Fed Chair Janet Yellen's Friday speech will likely draw the biggest crowd, and Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer will take the mic on Wednesday.Plus, third-quarter earnings season kicks into high gear with several notable names set to report, including Dow components American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), General Electric...Read More
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) has been one of the hottest stocks on Wall Street in recent weeks, with the shares touching a record high of $199.40 on Monday. NFLX stock was more recently seen trading at $196.10, and with the streaming content company scheduled to report earnings after the close next Monday, more analysts -- and, seemingly, options traders -- are expecting additional upside from the...Read More
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) started the session in the red, as traders eyed the first big batch of quarterly earnings, led by big banks. However, the Dow has since peeked higher and touched another record high, and a rally in tech stocks has also helped the Nasdaq to an all-time peak. The S&P remains modestly lower, though, as media...Read More
Third-quarter earning season is officially underway, with big-cap bank stocks JPMorgan (JPM) and Citigroup (C) trading modestly lower in the wake of this morning's quarterly results. Next up are Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC), PNC Financial Services Group Inc (NYSE:PNC), and Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC), which are all slated to report earnings ahead of tomorrow's open. Here's a closer look at how...Read More