Treasuries Rule – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) The earnings parade continues this week as some leading retailers headline quarterly results. Home Depot, Target, TJX and Walmart will be reporting, giving investors and traders a pulse of the coming market. Also due up is the July retail sales report, coming Tuesday morning. Wednesday afternoon the Fed will release its minutes from the July meeting. A strong advance by the tech sector nudged the market higher Monday. Bond … Read more…

Treading Indices – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) As the earnings season winds down, with 79% of reporting companies besting expectations, investors and traders have been extremely critical this quarter. And resulting markets have reacted ‘stubbornly’ barely showing any upwind movement. Companies, according to FactSet, have seen their stock regress, dropping 0.5% “during the two days before and after the released reports. Surprisingly, over the past five years, the average change for a companies’ stock over this … Read more…

Markets Fall, Treasuries Soar – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Monday kicked off another upcoming earning-packet week, catching ‘its breath’ as companies are getting ready to unload quarterly reports. If reporting follows the pattern of previous weeks, and according to market ‘gurus,’ expectations are for better numbers overall. As the month ended (July 31) the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared…up 1,069.79 points, or up 3.1%, the biggest two month increase since 2022, November, according to Dow Jones Data. The … Read more…

The Committed Consumer – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) The University of Michigan released its ‘Consumer Sentiment Index numbers for July, showing the highest levels since September 2021, on Monday, boosting investors and traders’ confidences. July’s 72.6 number bested the forecast of 65.5 by market gurus. The U.S. consumers are catching up to previous pre-pandemic levels, projecting little concern over rising retail prices. Car buying, new and used, travel of all sorts, major household items and dining out … Read more…

Defeating Inflation – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Stocks opened flat on Monday as investors and traders worried about market influencers; the anticipated rate hike next week, lingering stubborn inflation, and a spate of earnings reports to start the second half. Also due out this week, the U.S. Consumer and Producer inflation report that is predicted to show retail prices dropping a bit. That information is not deemed ‘strong enough’ to sway Mr. Powell and company, as … Read more…

Great Expectations – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) With a short week coming up and a shorter day Monday to prepare for the fourth of July, stocks were quiet with all indexes up just slightly at Monday’s close. Some high techs ‘speared ahead’ as traders and investors were anxious to vacate and ‘head-for-the-hills.’ Bitcoin was stronger after moving nicely to the $31,000.00 level, after months of hovering in the $25,000.00 area, the highest since May of 22. … Read more…

The Tightrope Loosens – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Heading into the final week of the first half of 2023, stocks were off in all three indexes, with the Nasdaq Composite leading the downward trend. It was the sixth straight day of the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling, however most negative days were 50 to 100 points, although still negative. Some favorites, and many high-technology leaders of the 1st half of the year, gave back some gains as … Read more…

Top 10 Mid-Cap Stocks That Historically Light Up July

Ah, July! The month when summer is in full swing and the spirit of adventure fills the air. In the world of investing, this mid-summer period also brings its own unique opportunities. Among these are mid-cap stocks, often considered the perfect mix between the high-growth potential of small caps and the stability of large caps. So, let’s throw on our sunglasses, crank up the beach tunes, and take a detailed look at the top 10 … Read more…

The Shakey Bull – by Justin Vaughn

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Stocks in worldwide exchanges slipped downward as worldwide concerns of China’s economy worried all investors and traders. The yuan followed suit, weakening to the dollar and reversing a weeks-long trend. All U.S. markets were closed Monday in observance of Juneteenth, public holiday, with their reaction due out Tuesday. Worsening concerns over the past several weeks about the ability of China to take action on the rapid slowdown, has deeply … Read more…

Sunlit Strikes: A Historical Review of Stock Options that Sizzle in Summer

In the dynamic world of finance, stock options hold a unique place. They offer a compelling opportunity for savvy investors, providing the potential for profits in any market condition – rising, falling, or even stagnant. As we approach the summer months, you might be wondering whether there are any discernible trends or opportunities that come with the season. While it is important to remember that past performance is not indicative of future results, we can … Read more…