Volatility could be extra volatile as VIX options expire tomorrow
Investors and traders don’t have just the volatility from the CPI inflation report tomorrow to worry about. An unexpectedly strong or weak inflation report could send stocks and bonds soaring or tumbling. There’s also the expiration of options on the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) tomorrow.
Nektar soars today on J.P. Morgan healthcare conference
Anybody still think that conferences, especially biotech conferences, don’t move stock prices? Shares of Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) are up 7.65% today to $61.79 as of noon New York time on the company’s appearance at this week’s J.P. Morgan biotech conference. The slides from the company’s presentation today are in circulation but CEO Howard Robin doesn’t actually present until 2 p.m. New York time today.
On the second day of Christmas my stock pick for 2018 is Nektar Therapeutics–and two-turtle doves
No point in hoping that Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) will match this year's gain of 364% as of the close on December 18. But I think the stock could easily climb another 30% or more in 2018 as the company de-risks its very promising drug candidates in the opioid and...
Looking for the setup to a potential options trade on Bank of America after fourth quarter earnings
Will bank stocks in general–and shares of Bank of America (BAC) in particular–take a hit when they report huge fourth quarter “adjustments” and create an opening for a call options play on the 2018 earnings story? Bank stocks have been soaring on the belief, first, that the election of Donald Trump, would provide them with substantial relief from costly regulations and, second, on the belief that banks would be big winners from the tax bill that is now so close to passing Congress. But, to get to those golden days in 2018, banks first have to pass through a fourth quarter from hell. Adjustments to earnings–as result of provisions in the tax bill–will take billions out of bank earnings.
A new catalyst for MGM March 16, 2018 call options in my Volatility Portfolio
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Raising my target price on MGM Resorts International to $39
On November 8 MGM Resorts International (MGM) reported third quarter earnings of 33 cents a share. That was a penny below Wall Street estimates. Revenue climbed 12.3% year over year to $2.83 billion, above analyst projections by $70 million. Revenue from the company's...
Nektar soars–again–on oncology drug data
Shares of Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) are up another 16% this morning to $37.89 as of noon New York time on data presented this weekend at the annual meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer from an early trial of Nektar's NKTR-214. The data looked at the...
Nektar rockets ahead, options in my Volatility Portfolio head for orbit
On the evening of October 31 I wrote that a decision onwhat to do with the Netkar Therapeutics options (NKTR180119C00022000)--the January 19, 2018 call at $22--that I added to my Volatility Portfolio back on May 16, 2017 at a price of $2.64 (the closing options price...
What to do with those Nektar options ahead of November 2 earnings?
This is a tough one. A very tough one. I added Netkar options (NKTR180119C00022000)--the January 19, 2018 call at $22--to my volatility portfolio back on May 16, 2017 at a price of $2.64 (the closing options price on that day.) Â Today, using the last price again on...
Strange doings in the volatility market
There’s certainly no visible sign of a big surge in stock market volatility. Yesterday, when the news was full of threats and counter-threats of war with North Korea and when the tech sector dropped, the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) climbed all of 12.2%. Today the VIX has retreated, falling 0.98% as of 3 p.m. New York time to 10.11. But this doesn’t mean nothing is going on in the volatility market or that big money traders aren’t placing bets on a spike in volatility.
Adding MGM March 16 2018 calls at $33 to my Volatility Portfolio
This is another news event trade--with more time allowed before the event and for the event to play out. This trade is an effort to add leverage on that news to my equity position in MGM Resorts International (MGM) in my Jubak Picks Portfolio. Before the end of the...Jim’s Stock Alerts
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