Trading Tips Blog

The recent market pullback has come at the tail end of earnings season. Most companies have beaten their earnings expectations, and some have even shown that corporate America remains strong. But rising uncertainty means that even great companies are taking a hit now. That fear is hitting the tech space particularly hard. Technology companies have been leading the market higher over the past two years, and now a more defensive market posture is leading to a big pullback in tech names. That’s ...
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Stephanie Bancel, CEO of Moderna (MRNA), recently bought 160,314 shares. The buy increased her stake by 1%, and came to a total cost of $5 million. A company director also bought $1 million of shares on the same day, picking up 31,620 shares an increasing his position by 7%. These mark the first insider buys over the past two years, reversing a trend of steady sales by executives and directors alike. Overall, Moderna insiders own 10.2% of shares. The biotech giant has ...
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Oil and gas exploration and production company Noble Corporation (NE) has seen shares get cut in half over the past year as energy prices have been trending lower overall. One trader sees further weakness over the coming weeks. That’s based on the April $20 puts. With 38 days until expiration, 9,117 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 285, for a 32-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.65 to make the bearish ...
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Earnings season continues to give investors a snapshot of a company’s performance. It’s also a time when well-run companies can continue a string of earnings beats. The real story, however, is the market reaction, not just to earnings, but to guidance. Companies are getting more cautious in their outlook amid a pullback in government spending, and as inflation remains sticky. While many companies are still performing well, cautious guidance can still send shares reeling in the short term. The latest company reporting ...
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Samuel Di Piazza, a director at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), recently bought 17,346 shares. The purchase increased his position by 12%, and came to a total cost of $197,918. This is the first insider buy since November, when the company’s International President bought 58,000 shares for over $535,000. There have been a mix of insider buys and sells over the past year, with the biggest move coming from a major holder who sold 10 million shares. In total, Warner Bros. Discovery ...
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Wall Street megabank JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is up 33% over the past year. One trader is betting shares will cool off in the months ahead. That’s based on the May $230 puts. With 70 days until expiration, 5,067 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 179, for a 28-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $4.70 to make the bearish bet. JPMorgan Chase shares recently traded for about $252, so shares would need to ...
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Consumer spending makes up the vast majority of the economy. Over the past few years, consumers have been spending more on travel and vacations, and less on items like home goods. However, even while spending less overall, increased total consumer spending means that there are still opportunities in the retail sector. One sign is the fact that major retailers continue to report strong earnings, even if current conditions mean they also have to report weak guidance. That disconnect may be creating a ...
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Robin Washington, a director at Salesforce (CRM), recently bought 1,695 shares. The purchase increased her stake by 4% and came to a total cost of $499,355. This marks the first insider buy since last June, when another director bought 2,050 shares, also for about $500,000. Otherwise, company insiders, including the company's CFO and COO, have been substantial sellers of shares at higher prices. Most of the sales have occurred following the exercise of stock options. Overall, Salesforce insiders own 3% of ...
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