Trading Tips Blog

Oil and gas producer Phillips 66 (PSX) has underperformed the market over the past year, returning just 6 percent. One trader sees the potential for a move higher. That’s based on the February $135 calls. With 86 days until expiration, 11,002 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 161, for a 68-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $0.95 to make the bullish bet. Phillips 66 recently traded for just over $116, so they ...
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Every year, a few former market darlings can’t seem to catch a break. The shares get hit hard. And business slows down, leading to a massive price and valuation compression. After a while, however, the market finds new stocks to dislike, and what’s hated can start on the path to becoming loved again. This can happen to any stock in any sector. Often, it happens to an industry leader that gets passed up by a new leader, even if they’re still ...
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Stephen Luczo, a director at AT&T (T), recently bought 62,500 shares. The buy increased his stake by 13 percent, and came to a total cost of $971,875. This marks the only insider activity at the telecom company over the past two years, and well after AT&T has spun off its entertainment division, reduced its dividend, and moved back to having a core focus on the telecom sector. Overall, AT&T insiders own 0.1 percent of shares. The telecom has struggled this year ...
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Electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker (FSR) is down 60 percent over the past year, as demand for new cars has slowed. One trader sees further downside in the weeks ahead. That’s based on the December 15 $2 puts. With 24 days until expiration, 18,694 contracts traded compared to a prior open of 146, for a massive 128-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.10 to make the bearish bet. Shares recently traded just under $3, so would ...
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Just as the autumn months are weak for the market, the final few weeks of the year tend to bode well for stocks. They tend to fare best for retailers, amid the rush of the holiday season. December has historically made the difference for a retailer earning a profit for the year or not. Many retailers are starting to come heavily off their lows, but have more upside ahead through the holiday season. That’s especially true for the most beaten-down companies. Among ...
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James McKelvey, a director at Emerson Electric (EMR), recently bought 8,000 shares. The buy increased his stake by 234 percent, and came to a total price of $684,000. He was joined by another director, who bought 500 shares, paying $42,766. And both buys came a day after a third director picked up 3,000 shares, for just under $257,000. This marks the only insider buys over the past two years. Insiders were otherwise small sellers going back to early 2022. Overall, Emerson ...
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Digital payment processor PayPal Holdings (PYPL) is up over 10 percent from its 52-week low just a few weeks ago. One trader sees further upside ahead before the end of the year. That’s based on the December 29 $60 calls. With 42 days until expiration, 9,803 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 241, for a 41-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $1.80 to make the bullish bet. PayPal shares recently traded for ...
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Markets often start to create narratives about different sectors. That can lead to some sectors flying high on hope, while others start to trade out of favor. This year has seen semiconductor stocks rally thanks to the rollout of new AI technologies. Other sectors have fared differently. Interest-rate sensitive stocks like utilities and telecoms have taken a hit. Media stocks have been out of favor. And so have many retailers, as consumers have focused more on experiences than buying goods. However, that ...
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