Stocks are taking a breather, as investors await a vote on the GOP's tax bill. Among the names making big moves are blockchain investor Riot Blockchain Inc (NASDAQ:RIOT), medical device stock Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc (NYSE:ZBH), and drugmaker Portola Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:PTLA). Here's a quick look at what's moving shares of RIOT, ZBH, and PTLA. RIOT Stock Makes Another Big MoveOne of th...Read More
TheUnited States Oil Fund (USO) has spent the better part of two years retreating from resistance in the $12 neighborhood, as founder and CEO Bernie Schaeffer noted earlier this month. What's more, if recent history is any indicator, USO shares could start 2018 with a whimper -- and short-term options traders can speculate on the oil fund at a bargain. The exchange-traded fund's (ETF) current annu...Read More
While Twitter (TWTR) explores new highs -- extending yesterday's analyst-induced surge -- shares of Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) are slumping after MoffettNathanson wrote a note to clients entitled "Facebook: Is it Time to Get Out?" In reaction, FB is trading down 1.2% at $178.71, with FAANG stocks feeling additional pressure from this morning's unusual Apple (AAPL) downgrade.In its note, the brokerag...Read More
Shares of Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) and Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW) hit record highs today, after housing starts for November topped expectations and homebuilder confidence continues to rise. Of course, both stocks are also benefiting from the broader market's surge. When you consider the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) historically averages respective gains of 2.5% and 2.4% in Decem...Read More
Although the retail sector is signaling a strong close to 2017, not every retail stock is cruising into the New Year. Home goods retailer Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBY) reports third-quarter earnings after the close tomorrow, and will look to avoid its recent post-earnings price-action. Below, we will take a look at Bed Bath & Beyond's past earnings moves, and examine how options traders a...Read More
U.S. stocks are lower this afternoon, pulling back from yesterday's record closing highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are all in the red at midday, with Goldman Sachs (GS) leading the blue-chip losers, and FAANG stock Apple (AAPL) pacing a tech decline. The market is still awaiting the highly anticipated tax vote from Congress, with t...Read More
Nomura initiated coverage on Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCMP) with a "buy" rating and a $43 price target -- representing expected upside of 150% to the stock's current perch at $17.10, up 2.1% so far today. The brokerage firm said the current valuation doesn't price in SCMP's Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1) treatment -- an extremely rare metabolic disorder -- and other products in t...Read More
It's been a good second half of the year for automakers Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) and General Motors Company (NYSE:GM). Respectively, the stocks sport year-to-date gains of 4.4% and 22%, with the latter hitting a record peak of $46.76 in late October. Brokerage firm RBC expects this trend to continue, weighing in bullishly on both F and GM this morning. RBC Bumps Up Ford Stock Price TargetFord s...Read More
As markets await news on the tax reform vote, two stocks have already ascended to fresh record highs this morning: streaming content provider Roku Inc (NASDAQ:ROKU) and online automotive stock Cars.com Inc (NYSE:CARS) are both moving after hedge funds reported stakes. Below, we will take a closer look at ROKU and CARS stocks.ROKU Stock Could Have Room to RunMorgan Stanley reported a 5.1% passi...Read More
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) on Monday notched its 70th record high in 2017, tying 1995 for the most in one year. And with a couple weeks left before we flip the calendar -- not to mention the index taking off in early trading today, ahead of an expected vote on tax reform -- there's a good chance this year will go down in history for the blue-chip index. Further, the Dow and the S&P 50...Read More
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
by David RansonThis report reviews some important reasons why investment managers and their regulators should not rely on standard deviation when they assess the riskiness of investment products.There are many ways in which standard deviation may produce an irrelevant or misleading impression of the risk assumed when an asset is purchased. Volatility is one element of risk, but often only a subsid...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