Fed’s “footnotes” in yesterday’s minutes from the September meeting worry markets
Reading the fine print is good advice when it comes to minutes from meetings of the Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee too. So far today, October 18, the financial markets are in a slight retreat because of notes released yesterday along with the minutes of the...
Special Report: 10 picks for 3 Next Big Things–Part 1, Why Big Data is such a powerful driver of Next Big Things and Part 2, My first AI stock pick
While financial markets worry about the next 75 (or is it 100) basis points in interest rate increases from the Federal Reserve, about the chance that economic growth in China will dip below 6%, about the odds that oil will again top $100 a barrel by the end of the...
How low can volatility and the VIX go? And how fast?
Yesterday, October 16, the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) fell 17.28% to 17.62. That's a huge drop from the closing local high of 24.98 on October 11. If the market's very, very positive reaction to Netflix earnings delivered after the close yesterday is any...
Last night Netflix soared on earnings and lower forward guidance didn’t count–today?
After the market close yesterday, October 16, Netflix (NFLX) announced third quarter earnings of 89 cents a share, a huge 21 cents a share above Wall Street projections. Revenues climbed 34% year over year to $4 billion against analyst estimates of $3.99 billion. The...
Buying Apple January 18 calls at $225 ahead of earnings
You may remember a pre-earnings trade that I advocated a few quarters back with Nvidia (NVDA) and a couple of other stocks. Well, I'm putting it on again today ahead of Apple's (AAPL) quarterly report now scheduled for October 30. I'm adding the January 18, 2019 call...
Adding to my position in Equinor call options
The less risky January 18, 2019 call options with a strike price of $25 on Norway's Equinor (EQNR) rose 6.59% today. The more risky, because they're out of the money, January 18, 2019 call options with a strike price of $30 fell 16.67%. I think that's an expression of...
U.S. stocks gently slide but VIX “fear index” continues retreat
If the market were inclined to sell off today, it could have found plenty of reasons. Under the heading of one-off scary stuff, I'd put:Â Continued tensions between the Saudis and just about everyone else over allegations--which look to be true--that the Saudi...
Video: Apple’s Most Important iPhone Ever
JIM’S VIDEO: I still own an Apple iPhone 5, and every year I look at the new models, and their ever higher prices, and I say, “No, not yet.” That reaction was even stronger this year when Apple announced its prices for the new top-of-the-line iPhone XX Max would begin at $1099, and go up to $1499.
Saturday Night Quarterback (on a Sunday) says, For the week ahead expect… Part 2 oil
...but exactly what should we expect about oil? Due to what seems increasingly likely to have been the brutal murder of a moderately critical Saudi journalist by order of the Saudi government in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, relations between the Saudis and many of...
Saturday Night Quarterback (on a Sunday) says, For the week ahead expect…(Part 1) earnings
... next week is really the lull before the storm for earnings. On Monday before the open we do get another big bank reporting--Bank of America (BAC). After that, though, its really tantalizing hints for the quarter about industrials, consumer goods, and technology....
Trick or trend: Remembering what bounces back first and most
Our regular (or occasional or perhaps occasionally regular) Friday series ( actually running on Saturday this week) Trick or Trend looks at what might (or might not) be emerging investible trends. Exclusively on JAM. This post won't run anywhere else. Ever. Friday...Download Jim’s eBook for Free
