(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) A Roller-Coaster Week…fueled by three, possibly four bank failures, kept the market off balance, finishing Friday on a negative note. Gold and bonds took center stage as investors and traders looked again for safer havens amidst the bank crisis. Gold bumped up to $1,969.80, a high for the year and bonds were heavy buys. The University of Michigan released its Consumer Sentiment Index for March data on Friday indicating … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) The nation’s 16th largest bank was taken by the Fed as regulators did not wait…they acted swiftly and efficiently to curb continued withdrawals that had totaled 42 million dollars on Thursday, as SVB endured one of the largest bank-runs. SVB Bank data was and is highly suspect, with unrealized losses of a staggering $16 billion, (Total assets of $200 billion). Nearly 18% of deposits were crypto related. Silicon Valley … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Stocks finished higher last Friday after a lackluster week. Investors and traders were ‘happy’ that several high flyers were having better than expected quarters. As the market opened up Monday, the mood was anxious in anticipation of the Labor numbers coming forth at the end of the week. Also, Jerome Powell’s upcoming appearance before Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday will most certainly stir the inflation pot. One subject to … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) The Big News Friday…The release of the PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures Index). The report, developed by the Commerce Department illustrates consumer spending, and it showed the trend is continuing to rise, up 1.8% from December, a compelling figure as it reflects the spending mood of the consumer. It also brings-to-bear that the inflation rate is reacting to the many interest rate hikes in attempting to dislodge inflation. Investors and … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) For the third straight week, the market continued ‘sour,’ with investors and traders beleaguered by a plethora of unsettling news. Apprehension gripped the market as stubborn inflation bucked Mr. Powell and the Federal Reserve. The January number [CPI] came in at 6.4%, a bit of a drop from December’s 6.5%, giving little solace to the ‘players.’ The coming release of the PCE, [Personal Consumption Expenditures], on Friday will give … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Important Inflation information is coming up for release this week, giving investors and traders more to think about. Evidently there was more positive than negative thoughts as Monday’s close was upward. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.1%, 376 points, as the S&P 500 nudged higher by 43 points. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite was positive 136 points, all giving some reassurance that the ‘news’ will be ‘good news.’ … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Stocks opened mixed on Monday as traders and investors were perplexed…as hiring has soared, with 517,000 new jobs reported since the first of the year, shoving unemployment to a 57 year low, at 3.49%. That is the lowest level since May 1969, after five months of slowing employment, according to the Labor Department. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellon had strong remarks for recession doomsayers: “You don’t have a recession with … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Investors and traders are finally ‘on board’ with Mr. Powell, Federal Reserve Chair. After rate hikes from June of 2022 to the present, and ranging from 0.75 percentage points to today’s 0.25 percentage increase, major progress in fighting inflation is apparent. After one month, in the new year, market indices are drifting higher. Led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite and many surprising earnings reports the average has risen 10% … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Stocks finished last week with robust swagger, as the tech driven Nasdaq Composite favorites posted some surprise earnings results, amid some massive announced layoffs. The market came to life on Monday as stocks showed optimism, as all indices were stronger. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 259 points or 1.2%, with the S&P 500 edging up 47 points. The tech heavy Nasdaq sprinted up 2% or 223 points, … Read more…

(Justin Vaughn, Editor, Options Trading Report) Stocks finished Friday on the upswing after a week of peaks and valleys. Investors and traders watched closely as a few ‘big banks’ showed earnings that were surprisingly ‘good.’ As interest rates increase, loans become more profitable, generating more fees and revenue, as seen in the latest quarter. As the week opened, more bank earnings were sprinkled with some positive and a few that were hurt by losses. Nearly … Read more…