Trading Tips Blog

Tech giant Microsoft (MSFT) is trading near all-time highs after soaring 52 percent over the past year. One trader sees shares making a quick pullback in the coming weeks. That’s based on the March 1 $410 puts. With 21 days until expiration, 13,305 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 254, for a 52-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $5.50 to make the bearish bet. Microsoft shares recently traded for about $415, ...
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Technology stocks offer investors the best bang for their buck. They’re the growth leaders and can see big price swings. Over time, a tech company that can go from an early-stage idea to turning an actual profit can continue to trend higher. The market still cares about these opportunities today, as interest rates stay high and early-stage investors remain skeptical. That’s good news for firms that can become consistently profitable. Big data company Palantir Technologies (PLTR) is sustainably profitable in the eyes ...
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Shiu Chan, a director at Super Micro Computer (SMCI), recently bought 2,000 shares. The buy increased his stake by 5 percent, and came to a total cost of $1,136,000. The director also made the most previous buy with 4,000 share pickup last August, paying $1,062,280. Otherwise, company insiders have been sellers of shares over the past year, driven largely by the exercise of stock options. Overall, Super Micro Computer insiders own 15 percent of shares. The server hardware producer has soared 709 ...
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Regional bank KeyCorp (KEY) has lost 30 percent over the past year amid rising interest rates and investor fear over smaller banks. One trader sees further downside in the coming weeks. That’s based on the March 1 $13 puts. With 22 days until expiration, 7,590 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 121, for a 63-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.29 to make the bearish bet. KeyCorp shares recently traded for about ...
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Investment capital continues to pour into artificial intelligence projects. As the software improves, better hardware is needed to run more advanced programs. And better facilities are needed to house and operate the hardware operating the software. That’s why some non-tech stocks are taking off now. They’re a stealth play on the AI trend, and can continue to benefit from its long-term rollout. And these companies can benefit from other trends that happen along the way. One such trend is construction. New facilities ...
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Terrence Cavanaugh, a director at Selective Insurance Group (SIGI), recently bought 1,000 shares. The buy increased his stake by 6 percent, and came to a total cost of $98,470. This marks the first insider buy since last June, when another director picked up 351 shares at a cost of $35,355. Otherwise, one director has been a seller of shares over the past year. SIGI’s President and CEO has also sold shares, to the tune of over $2.2 million in 2023. Overall, Read More

Social media operator Meta Platforms (META) has been soaring higher following its latest earnings beat and after announcing it will start paying a dividend. One trader sees shares rising further in the coming weeks. That’s based on the March 1 $465 calls. With 23 days until expiration, 4,832 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 185, for a 26-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $12.95. Meta shares recently traded for about $460, so ...
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A company’s fortunes can ebb and flow. Changes in customer demand can lead to fat and lean years. Or a company can have to deal with ongoing obsolescence. A further category of companies can suffer from one-off events. How a company reacts from such an event can affect how that company recovers. And for many of today’s one-off issues, understanding the ongoing costs, if any, can also have a big impact. For instance, cybersecurity attacks are on the rise. That’s impacted some ...
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