Trading Tips Blog

Credit card provider Mastercard (MA) is up 20% over the past year, just slightly underperforming the overall stock market. One trader sees shares trending higher in the coming months. That’s based on the July $475 calls. With 64 days until expiration, 8,589 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 133, for a 65-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $4.50 to make the bullish bet. Mastercard shares recently traded for about $454. So shares ...
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AI stocks have been on a tear, particularly big-tech companies that have been spending big on AI to grab an early lead. However, the market is showing an increasing reluctance to simply invest in any company willing to throw billions in AI. Now, we’re seeing that some companies that have been late to the party have been biding their time well. That’s because they can get in now, by employing technology that someone else has already developed. That’s the apparent plan for ...
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Ruth Porat, a director at Blackstone (BX), recently added 277 shares. The buy increased her position by 1%, and came to a total cost of $33,121. This is the first insider activity since another insider bought back in February, picking up 2,400 shares at a cost of $301,500. Going further back, there’s been a mix of insider buying and selling, with executives and directors more likely to be sellers than buyers. Overall, Blackstone insiders own 1.0% of shares. The asset manager has ...
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Brazilian-based oil giant Petroleo Brasiliero (PBR) is having a strong year, with shares up 46%. One trader sees shares pulling back in the second half of the year. That’s based on the January 2025 $15 puts. With 247 days until expiration, 15,005 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 197, for a 76-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $1.21 to make the bullish bet. PBR shares recently traded just over $17, so the ...
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The past 18 months have been great for just about any stock related to artificial intelligence (AI). However, the biggest moves have occurred in massive, big-tech companies. These companies have the capital to move in quickly and build out their AI infrastructure, after all. However, the real opportunity now may be in smaller companies playing to niche corners of the AI trend. That’s because it’s easier for a smaller company to double its earnings or market cap than a multi-billion-dollar tech ...
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James Gorman, a director at The Walt Disney Company (DIS), recently bought 20,000 shares. The buy increased the director’s stake by over 1,000%, and came to a total cost of $2.1 million. This is the first insider buy at Disney since another director bought 1,078 shares for just over $99,900 back in December 2023. Otherwise, company insiders have been modest sellers of shares, with executives typically selling following the exercise of stock options. Overall, Disney insiders own just under 0.01% of ...
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Commerce platform Shopify (SHOP) fell last week following earnings. As a result, shares are now trading flat over the past year. One trader is betting shares will rebound from the earnings drop in the months ahead. That’s based on the September $120 calls. With 129 days until expiration, 12,376 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 444, for a 28-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $0.14 to make the bullish bet. Shopify shares ...
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Markets tend to get jittery during earnings season. In the long-term, earnings matter. In the short-term, other factors may be at play. That can include how a company discusses its forward outlook. Or there may be some aspect to a company’s revenues or profit margins that lead to a selloff. Fortunately, that’s an opportunity for investors. While short-term traders may beat down shares of a great company, its creates a buying opportunity for those with a bullish outlook. For instance, metaverse video ...
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