Trading Tips Blog

Major oil and gas producer ConocoPhillips (COP) jumped over 9 percent on Monday as oil prices rallied on news of OPEC cuts. One trader sees shares continuing higher in the coming weeks. That’s based on the April 28 $107 calls. With 23 days until expiration, 11,135 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 109, for a 102-fold jump in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $4.55 to make the bullish bet. Shares last went for just ...
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The end of the first quarter of the year saw the Nasdaq rebound more than 20 percent off of its lows from last year. Technically, that means the index is in a new bull market. And that’s no surprise when looking at some of last year’s hardest-hit tech stocks. A few have managed to nearly double off their lows. And they could move higher, as the flood of money hasn’t hit this space yet. One company that’s benefited from this trend is ...
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Earl Jackson, a director at Main Street Capital Corp (MAIN), recently added 3,000 shares. The buy increased his holdings by 5 percent, and came to a total cost of $117,600. The director was also the last buyer of shares nearly a year ago, again picking up 3,000 shares. Over the past two years, there have been more insider sales than purchases, including a 100,010 sale by the company CEO in early 2022. Overall, insiders own 4.4 percent of the company. The business ...
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Regional bank Valley National Bancorp (VLY) has seen shares slide 25 percent in the past few weeks amid fears in the banking sector. One trader sees further downside ahead for the stock. That’s based on the September $5 puts. With 163 days until expiration, 9,954 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 265, for a 38-fold jump in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $0.48 to make the bearish bet. Shares recently traded just over ...
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Some companies tend to be growth plays. Others can be steady. A few are more cyclical, having obvious booms and busts. Tech companies that fall out of favor can become cyclical companies, provided they manage to find new products to invest in to get back on the growth track, even if it’s just for a few years. Playing this cycle can lead to bigger returns than buying and holding, particularly if buying near the start of a new cycle higher. Chipmakers tend ...
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Paul Donahue, CEO at Genuine Parts Company (GPC), recently bought 1,600 shares. The buy increased his holdings by 1 percent, and came to a total cost of $249,728. This is the first buy at the company in over a year. Last year, one director bought over 1,600 shares, paying just over $200,000, on two separate occasions. Over the past two years, there has been only one insider sale. All told, insiders at the auto parts retailer own 0.3 percent of shares. A ...
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Precious metals producer Alamos Gold (AGI) has fared well over the past year, with a 44 percent gain. One trader sees a further rally in the months ahead. That’s based on the June $17.50 calls. With 74 days until expiration, 10,512 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 159, for a 66-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $0.10 to make the bullish bet. Shares recently traded for just under $12.50, so they ...
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Ultimately, companies exist to provide a product or service that satisfy the needs of their customers. Sometimes, that need is simply to find a way to do more with the same… or less. That’s why companies that drive innovations can be big winners over time. Customers flock towards services that can provide cost savings. And that can translate into big profits for the companies that are providing that innovation. Following where the investments in money-saving ideas go can lead to those ...
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