Shares of Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) are flying high today, thanks to a strong earnings report from sector peer General Motors (GM). And while GM stock is fresh off a new record high, Ford stock is up 1.3% at $12.20. Ahead of Ford Motor's own turn in the earnings confessional Thursday morning, put volume is running at an accelerated pace -- with a number of speculators bracing for a quick retreat...Read More
Stocks are significantly higher this afternoon, with the Dow hitting a fresh record high. Healthcare company Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) is down, while Jeep parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (NYSE:FCAU) and biotech stock Pain Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PTIE) are enjoying breakout sessions. Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of CNC, FCAU, and PTIE.CNC Stock Plummets Over Federal Subsi...Read More
One of the notable constants in the stock market's post-election march to new highs has been the prolonged hibernation of the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), with scores of seasoned volatility pros having prematurely called for an end to the "low VIX regime" over this period. But as the VIX stubbornly refuses, for now, to revert to anything resembling its historical mean, 2017 has continued to be a b...Read More
Shares of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE:PII) are soaring today, thanks to the company's impressive earnings report. PII stock was last seen 15.5% higher -- making it the top S&P MidCap 400 Index (MID) percentage gainer today -- and earlier hit a two-year high of $126.85. The shares are now up 50% year-to-date, and are pacing for their first close above their 36-month moving average in over two yea...Read More
Earnings season is hitting high gear, with a number of stocks already delivering earnings wins. Looking ahead, online restaurant delivery service GrubHub Inc (NYSE:GRUB) is slated to unveil its quarterly results before tomorrow's open. Here's a closer look at how GRUB stock has been performing ahead of earnings, and how traders both in and out of the options pits have been positioning themselves....Read More
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) touched another fresh record high today, and was last seen flirting with a gain of nearly 200 points, thanks to another load of respectable earnings reports. Most notably, 3M (MMM) and Caterpillar (CAT) stocks are leading the charge, with McDonald's (MCD) also in the black after earnings. The S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) are both trading...Read More
Blue-chip earnings continue to impress, with Dow stocks Caterpillar, 3M, and McDonald's guiding the index to record highs this morning. Now it's Boeing Co's (NYSE:BA) turn, with the aerospace giant scheduled to report earnings tomorrow morning. BA stock -- which just yesterday hit a record high of $265.98 -- is trading up 0.8% at $264.38, and considering its post-earnings history, it wouldn't be s...Read More
Put volume was accelerated on Under Armour Inc (NYSE:UAA), with roughly 12,000 contracts traded -- more than two times what's typically seen in a typical trading session. Short-term contracts were being bought to open, and with UAA shares staging a sharp late-afternoon selloff, one of these bearish traders in particular placed a well-timed bet.Diving deeper, the weekly 10/27 17.50-strike and weekl...Read More
U.S. stocks are trading higher this morning after a slew of positive third-quarter earnings were released before the bell. Among the stocks making moves this morning are construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE:CAT), automobile designer and producer General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and technology powerhouse Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Here's a closer look at what's movi...Read More
The S&P 500 Index (SPX) just did something so rare it's happened only 13 other times in history. Specifically, the index yesterday not only made a bearish engulfing pattern, but also hit an all-time high. Below, we'lltake a look at how the S&P tends to perform after this unique double occurrence.A bearish engulfing pattern happens when the index "engulfs" the previous day's candle. Specifically, i...Read More
It appears to be an opportune time to take a long position on blue chip American Express (NYSE:AXP). The company just topped earnings expectations and raised its full-year outlook, and although its long-time CEO is stepping down, he'll be replaced by a 30-year veteran of the firm. On top of these promising fundamental developments, the stock's technical prospects also appear bullish. For insta...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on biotech Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALXN), TV streaming service Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), and online retail giant Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of ALXN, NFLX, and AMZN.Alexion Pharmaceuticals Stock Pops on FDA Drug ApprovalAlexion Pharmaceuticals stock is up 4.5% to trade at $141.27, aft...Read More
Analysts are weighing in on home appliance stock Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR), office furniture specialist HNI Corp (NYSE:HNI), and Hasbro rival Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of WHR, HNI, and MAT.Whirlpool Stock Gets Downgraded After Earnings, Sears ShakeupWhirlpool stock is bracing for a 10% drop out of the gate, after the comp...Read More
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) futures are higher this morning, up triple digits as earnings season ramps up. Better-than-expected reports from Caterpillar (CAT) and 3M (MMM) are lifting the blue-chip index toward record highs, with McDonald's (MCD) stock also pointed higher after earnings. Futures on the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are also higher, boosted by earnings vic...Read More
Drug company Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) will report earnings tomorrow morning. Today, the stock closed almost 3% lower at $328.11, after the firm changed its existing collaboration with Eisai to develop and commercialize investigational Alzheimer's disease treatments, resulting in a downgrade from Citigroup. Below, we'll take a look at BIIB stock and how options traders are playing the shares ahead...Read More
Despite touching record highs in early trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), S&P 500 Index (SPX), and the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) each closed lower today, with the Dow and S&P both breaking their six-session win streaks. General Electric (GE) stock helped weigh the Dow down, dropping amid dividend concerns sparked by the blue chip's lackluster earnings report on Friday.Traders also...Read More
Stocks are modestly lower this afternoon, though all three major U.S. benchmarks hit record highs earlier. Among specific names making big moves, data storage specialist Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ:STX) and Dow stock Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) are higher, while materials expert Arconic Inc (NYSE:ARNC) is plummeting after earnings. Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of STX, IN...Read More
Third-quarter earnings season is rolling on. In addition to several high-profile tech earnings that are due this week, New York-based airline name JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ:JBLU) will take its turn in the earnings confessional tomorrow. Ahead of the event, JBLU stock is down 1.6% at $20.03 -- trading near several key technical levels -- and options traders have been targeting even bigger...Read More
Nvidia isn't the only semiconductor stock on analysts' radar. Just this morning, RBC upped its price target on Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) to $100 from $96, helping the shares earlier hit a 17-year high of $96.74. The equity is now up almost 32% in 2017, and is pacing for a seventh straight positive weekly finish. But while options traders appear bullish ahead of the company's ear...Read More
As just another example of the low stock market volatility of late, the CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX) -- or Wall Street's "fear gauge" -- is flashing a signal so rare we've seen it just four other times since 1990. Specifically, VIX premium has crested above 200%, according to Schaeffer's Quantitative Analyst Chris Prybal, which was a really bad signal for the VIX in 2016. Below, we'll explai...Read More