Stocks never move up in a straight line. One reason is profit-taking. In a bull market like this, that’s a bit rare. But other events can also temporarily weigh on a stock’s long-term uptrend. One big event is a regulatory warning. While big tech names sometimes take a one-day dive as some agency announces a record fine, or even a bank, which have collectively paid billions in fines, big pharma is the latest industry to come under fire as well. ConsiderAbbVie (ABBV), a company that the FDA issued a warning against last week on one of its key arthritis drugs. Shares shed nearly 10 per...

Shares of energy producerNorthern Oil & Gas (NOG) have been moving higher over the past year. Shares trended down over the summer, but are now starting to move higher, and one trader sees that rally continuing. That’s based on the March $20 calls. With 192 days until expiration, over 2,645 contracts traded against a prior open interest of 131, for a 20-fold rise in volume. The buyer of the calls paid about $2.10 to make the trade. Shares are currently in the $17 range, but have traded in the $21 range in early June before selling off, so the strike price is a reasonable one for w...

While some big spending bills are being discussed in Washington, the private sector is already moving towards growing out the technology of tomorrow. From the rollout of the 5G network to the ground-up monetary overhaul of cryptocurrency, the next decade looks to be the most transformative one yet. That’s also true with transportation. The last decade saw that the mass production of electric vehicles was possible. This decade, trends will move even more strongly in favor of these vehicles. One of the biggest issues today is that of range. While batteries are improving, it’s necessary...

The past earnings season has been tough for many “stay at home” stocks that benefitted in 2020 from the pandemic. The biggest issue is that these companies are still growing, but their rate of growth has slowed substantially. Over time, it’s likely many of these companies will recover from the market fears. One company that just faced an earnings selloff, has more to it than being a “stay at home” play. The company isChewy (CHWY). Shares faced a drop on Thursday following the company’s latest earnings, as sales came in just under analyst expectations and the firm reported a small net...

Some investors are a nervous bunch. They’re always looking for a reason to sell off shares. They can be human, or simply algorithms looking for trading opportunities based on negative headlines. The latter may have recently prevailed, when a high-end semiconductor firm saw its shares drop 5 percent on a day. The reason? Some company insiders sold shares. Never mind that most tech executives are given shares for performance, and have many reasons to sell. The company?NXP Semiconductor (NXPI). Shares dropped off of all-time highs from the news that two company insiders sold nearly $30 ...

The past few years have seen an explosion in payment apps. Each have their similarities and differences, from traditional wealth transfers to the ability to buy cryptocurrencies to offering payment plan options. That latter category is exploding in growth, with a number of firms offering “Buy Now Pay Later” or BNPL services. Of the many companies offering this service, one just inked a major deal with the world’s biggest retailer,Amazon (AMZN). The company partnering with them isAffirm Holdings (AFRM). The fintech name, still a small player in the rapidly growing space, surged 46 per...

The latest statements from companies relying on semiconductors for operations is still grim. A shortage persists, and likely won’t be fully resolved this year. That’s likely to impact everything from consumer electronics this holiday season (it’s coming sooner than you think), to the production of new automobiles. While a number of companies are working to ramp up production, the actual physical manufacturing is likely resulting in delays, as only a few organizations can actually manufacture at scale. These few players likely represent the companies most likely to hold up if markets ...

After a swift drop earlier in the year after hitting all-time highs, cryptocurrencies have surged higher in prior weeks. The space is pausing again, but may be on track to resume its rally soon. While many companies have embraced cryptocurrencies, the trend is still early. But investors who want exposure to the space without having to buy and store their own have a few solid opportunities. For those just looking for exposure to Bitcoin,MicroStrategy (MSTR) may be the way to go. The company now owns about $4.5 billion in Bitcoin, and has used convertible debt to make those buys, inclu...

Economic data continues to show that the rich got richer during the pandemic. Most were unaffected by shutdowns, and having wealth tied up in appreciating assets like stock and real estate increased their net worth. That’s also true well into the middle class, a trend that also benefits a number of higher-end retailers. Like the big box stores, these companies have held up well, as reduced spending in activities like attending concerts or going out to dine led to higher spending elsewhere. One such winner isWilliams Sonoma (WSM). The company has continued to beat on earnings, includi...

For years, analysts bemoaned the “death of retail.” But consumers remain king, and many still want to shop in person, or online at a store other thanAmazon (AMZN). That’s been a boon largely for the big box stores, which offer convenience, low prices, and a wide selection of offerings. And as earnings season has shown, these stores are still growing while also trading at a reasonable value. Case in point?Best Buy (BBY). The electronics retailer was seen as a particularly weak competitor in the online age. But shoppers still want to look over products like appliances and computers bef...