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Archive for Stock Market News – Page 2

15 Nov

Week Ahead: Will Nvidia earnings seal stock’s 200% jump in 2024?

By ForexTime

Nvidia: world’s largest company with US$3.6 trillion market cap
Shares already soared 196.3% so far this year
Earnings due after US markets close Wed, Nov 20
Shares forecasted to move 8% up/down Thur, Nov. 21
Nvidia accounts for 15% of total global stock volatility

The world’s most-valuable company is about to unveil its latest quarterly earnings.

And when Nvidia speaks, stock markets worldwide listen, and react.

After all, Nvidia alone accounts for about 15% of the total volatility for stock markets worldwide.

Here are some other facts you may not know about this AI-posterchild:

Nvidia became the largest company in the world since November 5th – US election day.
(it previously held that title for just 1 day, on June 18, 2024, when it briefly surpassed Apple’s market cap).
Nvidia is valued (market cap) at US$3.6 trillion at the time of writing (before US markets open on Friday, Nov. 15th).
Nvidia has almost tripled (+196.35%) so far in 2024, making it the:
– best-performing stock on the Nasdaq 100
– 3rd biggest year-to-date gainer on the S&P 500 (after Vistra Corp’s +260% and Palantir’s +245%).

Why has Nvidia’s stocks skyrocketed?

Answer = AI-mania.

Nvidia’s GPUs are sorely needed by many tech companies around the world to fuel their respective AI ambitions.

Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon combined are expected to spend US$200 billion this year alone on capital expenditures, including AI spending.

UBS Wealth Management predicts that AI-spending by Big Tech companies could even reach US$266 billion in 2025!

All that has translated into massive revenue and profits for Nvidia, which could grow even more in the years ahead.

Nvidia earnings due Wednesday, Nov. 20th

With all of that in mind, no surprise that traders and investors around the world are bracing for this high-impact event in the middle of a relatively light week on the global macroeconomic calendar:

Monday, November 18

SG20: Singapore October external trade
THB: Thailand 3Q GDP
USDInd: Speech by Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee

Tuesday, November 19

AUD: RBA policy minutes
EU50 index: Eurozone October CPI (final)
CAD: Canada October CPI

Wednesday, November 20

JP225 index: Japan October trade balance
CNH: China loan prime rates
GBP: UK October CPI, PPI
ZAR: South Africa September retail sales; October CPI
TWN index: Taiwan October exports
Nvidia earnings

Thursday, November 21

NOK: Norway 3Q GDP
EUR: Eurozone November consumer confidence
ZAR: South African Reserve Bank rate decision
Baidu earnings
US30 index: US weekly initial jobless claims; speeches by Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack and Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee

Friday, November 22

JPY: Japan October national CPI; November PMIs
AU200 index: Australia November PMIs
GER40 index: Germany/Eurozone November PMIs
UK100 index: UK November PMIs and consumer confidence; October retail sales
TWN index: Taiwan October jobless rate
CAD: Canada September retail sales
RUS2000 index: US November PMIs, consumer sentiment (final)
MXN: Mexico 3Q GDP

Nvidia earnings: What to look out for

Here are Wall Street’s forecasts for some of Nvidia’s crucial Q3 financial figures:

Revenue: US$ 33.2 billion
Data Center revenue: US$ 29.1 billion
Gross profit margins: 75.5%
Net profits: US$ 18.54 billion
Earnings per share (EPS): $0.74

More importantly, given the forward-looking nature of financial markets (today’s prices reflect tomorrow’s hopes) …

Traders and investors are set to pay more attention to Nvidia’s guidance for future earnings.

For context, Nvidia’s Hopper GPUs have been a reliable engine for past and present earnings.

Nvidia’s revenues for the current 2025 fiscal year is expected to reach $125.6 billion – double from the previous fiscal year.

However, Nvidia’s much-hyped Blackwell GPU family, despite a slight hiccup, appears to have overcome its recent delays.

That’s set to drive another 44% year-on-year climb for Nvidia’s revenue, reaching $181 billion for its 2026 fiscal year.

In short, markets are desperate to find out whether all is well with Blackwell (pun intended).

Blackwell Timeline:

Q4 2024: Blackwell GPUs to start shipping out
2025: Blackwell production set to increase
Q1 2026: Blackwell GPUs forecasted to reach max output levels

How might Nvidia’s stocks react?

When US markets reopen on Thursday, November 21st, Nvidia’s shares are forecasted to move 8%, either up or down.

Of course, whether this stock climbs or falls will depend on Nvidia’s past and future earnings.

Nvidia’s stock prices could soar to a new record high if CEO Jensen Huang can further stoke market excitement with more details about its Blackwell ramp up in the years ahead.

Potential Scenarios

Using prices at the time of writing (before US markets open on Friday, November 15th) …

an 8% upside could see Nvidia’s share price touching $158 next week for the first time in its history!
an 8% drop could see this stock faltering back into the mid-$130 region.

Given Nvidia’s already stunning surge so far this year, the bar has been set high for already hard-to-impress investors.

Recall that investors were left disappointed with Nvidia’s previous quarterly earnings announcement, resulting in a 6.4% drop on August 29th – the day after its last earnings release

If that sentiment is felt once more, that could translate into broader declines for US stock markets as well (watch the US500 and NAS100 stock indexes in particular).

For the longer term, Nvidia’s stocks are predicted to climb another 7.3% from current prices to eventually touch $157.73 over the next 12 months.

Of course, the above forecast is based on Bloomberg’s survey of Wall Street analysts prior to the upcoming earnings.

Should the AI-mania get another shot in the arm following Nvidia’s earnings, that $157.73 target price may be breached even by this Thursday.

And that would force Wall Street experts to scurry about making upward revisions to their 12-month target prices yet again, as they have done for much of the past couple of years.

Article by ForexTime

ForexTime Ltd (FXTM) is an award winning international online forex broker regulated by CySEC 185/12 www.forextime.com

Financial News Stock Market News

13 Nov

Can Chinese Tech earnings offer relief for Chinese stock indexes?

By ForexTime

CHINAH, CN50, HK50 falling on fears of heightened US-China trade tensions
US president-elect Trump reportedly set to appoint China “hawks” to cabinet
CHINAH, CN50, HK50 testing key moving averages as immediate support
Relief to arrive from this week’s earnings by Tencent, JD.com, NetEase, Geely, and Alibaba?
Markets still predict double-digit % gains for CHINAH and HK50 over next 12 months, for now

Chinese stock indexes are still reeling from the fallout from the just-concluded US presidential elections.

At the time of writing, here’s how major Chinese stock indices within FXTM’s universe have fared since Asian markets closed on November 5th – US elections day:

CN50: -2.75%

At the time of writing, the CN50 is now testing its 21-day simple moving average for immediate support.

FXTM’s CN50 stock index tracks the FTSE China A50 Index.

HK50: down 5.6%

At the time of writing, the HK50 is now testing its 50-day simple moving average for immediate support.

FXTM’s HK50 stock index tracks the Hang Seng Index.

CHINAH: down 5.8%

At the time of writing, the CHINAH is headed towards its 50-day simple moving average, potentially for immediate support, which also currently lies around the psychologically-important 7,000 number.

CHINAH falling since US presidential elections

FXTM’s CHINAH stock index tracks the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index.

Besides Chinese stock indices, even China’s currency, the Yuan (CNH) has also fallen almost 2% since November 5th.

Why are Chinese assets falling?

Chinese markets have been falling on fears of heightened US-China trade tensions under Trump 2.0.

The US president-elect has campaigned on threats of imposing 60% tariffs on Chinese products imported into the United States.

Such tariffs, if rolled out, are expected to put further downward pressure on the Chinese economy that’s already struggling to sustain its post-pandemic recovery.

Timeline: Chinese stock indexes post-US election reaction

Here’s a quick recap of key events that have sent the CHINAH, CN50, and HK50 indexes on a topsy-turvy ride over the past week:

Tuesday, Nov. 5: US election day
Wednesday, Nov. 6: Knee-jerk declines for Chinese markets as US election results pointed to a resounding win for Trump.
Thursday, Nov. 7: Chinese stocks rose on hopes of more economic support from Beijing
Friday, Nov. 8: Beijing disappointed markets with less-than-expected fiscal stimulus
Tuesday, Nov. 12: Markets react to overnight reports of president-elect Trump could appoint Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz to his cabinet – both are known to have aggressive stances against China.

Can Chinese stock indices see some relief soon?

In the days ahead, big Chinese tech companies are due to report their respective quarterly earnings, all before US markets open:

Wednesday, Nov. 13: Tencent

Tencent’s stocks are expected to move by 4.2% either up or down after this earnings release.

Though Tencent’s video game segment should offset weakness in its fintech and advertising businesses, this stock is unlikely to be immune from the potentially darkening clouds over the Chinese economy.

Thursday, Nov. 14: JD.com, NetEase, Geely

These 3 stocks have a combined market cap of about US$132 billion. All are members of the CHINAH stock index.

When US markets open on November 14th, after their respective results, these stocks are forecasted to move anywhere between 5% – 9%, either up or down.

From e-commerce, to automotives, and even gaming, their respective results are likely to serve as a barometer of the health of the world’s second largest economy.

Friday, Nov. 15: Alibaba

Alibaba’s stocks, listed in Hong Kong and the US, are expected to move by 5.3% either up or down after this earnings release.

Though it’s hoped that government measures to boost this past Singles Day sales (on Nov. 11th) could help Alibaba’s fortunes, this e-commerce giant is still expected to post lacklustre Q3 figures amid slowing consumption.

Potential scenarios for CN50, HK50, and CHINAH:

If the upcoming financial results can punch past the gloom, that could help these indexes stay above their respective critical support levels (21-day / 50-day SMAs), at least temporarily.
Bulls will also be hoping that the November 11th Singles Day sales can give these companies a boost to start off the week, helping the indices rise in tandem.
However, if these big Chinese tech companies post lacklustre financial results, while also citing growing headwinds for Chinese consumers that erode their respective earnings outlooks, that could spell further declines for Chinese stock indices.

What’s the longer-term outlook for CHINAH and HK50?

As things stand, markets still expected double-digit % gains for these Chinese stock indices over the next 12 months:

CHINAH: +22.4% over next 12 months
HK50: +23% over next 12 months

SOURCE: Bloomberg; data unavailable for FTSE China A50 Index (CN50 index)

However, with key details yet to be determined about what, when, and how Trump 2.0’s upcoming policies could impact China …

The forecasted double-digit, 12-month potential profits for Chinese stock indices may well be drastically reduced, especially if the market’s worst fears are realized under the incoming Trump administration.

Article by ForexTime

ForexTime Ltd (FXTM) is an award winning international online forex broker regulated by CySEC 185/12 www.forextime.com

Financial News Stock Market News

10 Nov

COT Stock Market Charts: Speculator Bets led by S&P500 & Nasdaq

By InvestMacro

Here are the latest charts and statistics for the Commitment of Traders (COT) data published by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

The latest COT data is updated through Tuesday November 5th and shows a quick view of how large traders (for-profit speculators and commercial entities) were positioned in the futures markets.

Weekly Speculator Changes led by S&P500-Mini & Nasdaq-Mini

The COT stock markets speculator bets were lower this week as three out of the seven stock markets we cover had higher positioning while the other four markets had lower speculator contracts.

Leading the gains for the stock markets was the S&P500-Mini (50,742 contracts) with the Nasdaq-Mini (10,970 contracts) and the DowJones-Mini (3,306 contracts) also showing positive weeks.

The markets with the declines in speculator bets this week were the VIX (-15,096 contracts), the MSCI EAFE-Mini (-13,952 contracts), the Russell-Mini (-3,151 contracts) and with the Nikkei 225 (-498 contracts) also registering lower bets on the week.

Stock Market Net Speculators Leaderboard

Legend: Weekly Speculators Change | Speculators Current Net Position | Speculators Strength Score compared to last 3-Years (0-100 range)

Strength Scores led by Russell-Mini & S&P500-Mini

COT Strength Scores (a normalized measure of Speculator positions over a 3-Year range, from 0 to 100 where above 80 is Extreme-Bullish and below 20 is Extreme-Bearish) showed that the Russell-Mini (88 percent) and the S&P500-Mini (82 percent) lead the stock markets this week. The DowJones-Mini (81 percent) and VIX (81 percent) come in right behind them as the next highest in the weekly strength scores.

On the downside, the MSCI EAFE-Mini (16 percent) comes in at the lowest strength level currently and is in Extreme-Bearish territory (below 20 percent).

Strength Statistics:
VIX (81.3 percent) vs VIX previous week (94.9 percent)
S&P500-Mini (81.7 percent) vs S&P500-Mini previous week (74.1 percent)
DowJones-Mini (81.3 percent) vs DowJones-Mini previous week (76.0 percent)
Nasdaq-Mini (64.1 percent) vs Nasdaq-Mini previous week (47.1 percent)
Russell2000-Mini (88.0 percent) vs Russell2000-Mini previous week (90.2 percent)
Nikkei USD (59.2 percent) vs Nikkei USD previous week (63.4 percent)
EAFE-Mini (16.4 percent) vs EAFE-Mini previous week (31.3 percent)

S&P500-Mini tops the 6-Week Strength Trends

COT Strength Score Trends (or move index, calculates the 6-week changes in strength scores) showed that the S&P500-Mini (22 percent) leads the past six weeks trends for the stock markets. The Nasdaq-Mini (0.1 percent) is the only other positive mover (just barely) in the latest trends data.

The MSCI EAFE-Mini (-14 percent) leads the downside trend scores currently with the VIX (-11 percent) coming in as the next market with lower trend scores.

Strength Trend Statistics:
VIX (-10.5 percent) vs VIX previous week (4.5 percent)
S&P500-Mini (22.2 percent) vs S&P500-Mini previous week (27.7 percent)
DowJones-Mini (-4.1 percent) vs DowJones-Mini previous week (-8.1 percent)
Nasdaq-Mini (0.1 percent) vs Nasdaq-Mini previous week (-21.9 percent)
Russell2000-Mini (-9.0 percent) vs Russell2000-Mini previous week (6.1 percent)
Nikkei USD (-6.3 percent) vs Nikkei USD previous week (16.2 percent)
EAFE-Mini (-14.0 percent) vs EAFE-Mini previous week (6.3 percent)

Individual Stock Market Charts:

VIX Volatility Futures:

The VIX Volatility large speculator standing this week was a net position of -16,668 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decline of -15,096 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -1,572 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish-Extreme with a score of 81.3 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 19.0 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 93.1 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Weak Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Weak Uptrend.

VIX Volatility Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	25.5	41.1	8.9
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	30.3	37.3	7.8
– Net Position:	-16,668	13,017	3,651
– Gross Longs:	87,632	141,435	30,551
– Gross Shorts:	104,300	128,418	26,900
– Long to Short Ratio:	0.8 to 1	1.1 to 1	1.1 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	81.3	19.0	93.1
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bullish-Extreme	Bearish-Extreme	Bullish-Extreme
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	-10.5	5.4	21.7

S&P500 Mini Futures:

The S&P500 Mini large speculator standing this week was a net position of 113,440 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly rise of 50,742 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 62,698 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish-Extreme with a score of 81.7 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 7.7 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish-Extreme with a score of 98.8 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Strong Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Strong Uptrend.

S&P500 Mini Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	17.5	67.7	12.7
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	12.2	78.6	7.1
– Net Position:	113,440	-233,202	119,762
– Gross Longs:	374,881	1,448,167	272,336
– Gross Shorts:	261,441	1,681,369	152,574
– Long to Short Ratio:	1.4 to 1	0.9 to 1	1.8 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	81.7	7.7	98.8
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bullish-Extreme	Bearish-Extreme	Bullish-Extreme
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	22.2	-23.9	11.1

Dow Jones Mini Futures:

The Dow Jones Mini large speculator standing this week was a net position of 12,931 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly lift of 3,306 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 9,625 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish-Extreme with a score of 81.3 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 13.4 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 79.8 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Strong Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Strong Uptrend.

Dow Jones Mini Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	28.0	50.7	18.7
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	13.0	70.6	13.9
– Net Position:	12,931	-17,117	4,186
– Gross Longs:	24,195	43,814	16,160
– Gross Shorts:	11,264	60,931	11,974
– Long to Short Ratio:	2.1 to 1	0.7 to 1	1.3 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	81.3	13.4	79.8
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bullish-Extreme	Bearish-Extreme	Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	-4.1	2.5	4.7

Nasdaq Mini Futures:

The Nasdaq Mini large speculator standing this week was a net position of 16,092 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly increase of 10,970 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 5,122 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish with a score of 64.1 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 22.2 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 76.6 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Strong Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Strong Uptrend.

Nasdaq Mini Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	24.8	57.2	15.2
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	18.5	68.1	10.7
– Net Position:	16,092	-27,658	11,566
– Gross Longs:	62,784	144,580	38,511
– Gross Shorts:	46,692	172,238	26,945
– Long to Short Ratio:	1.3 to 1	0.8 to 1	1.4 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	64.1	22.2	76.6
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bullish	Bearish	Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	0.1	1.9	-3.5

Russell 2000 Mini Futures:

The Russell 2000 Mini large speculator standing this week was a net position of 8,792 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decline of -3,151 contracts from the previous week which had a total of 11,943 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish-Extreme with a score of 88.0 percent. The commercials are Bearish-Extreme with a score of 9.5 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 78.7 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Strong Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Strong Uptrend.

Russell 2000 Mini Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	18.0	72.2	7.3
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	16.0	77.5	4.0
– Net Position:	8,792	-23,537	14,745
– Gross Longs:	80,594	324,134	32,917
– Gross Shorts:	71,802	347,671	18,172
– Long to Short Ratio:	1.1 to 1	0.9 to 1	1.8 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	88.0	9.5	78.7
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bullish-Extreme	Bearish-Extreme	Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	-9.0	7.9	0.7

Nikkei Stock Average (USD) Futures:

The Nikkei Stock Average (USD) large speculator standing this week was a net position of -2,464 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly lowering of -498 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -1,966 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bullish with a score of 59.2 percent. The commercials are Bearish with a score of 37.5 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 60.1 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Weak Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Weak Uptrend.

Nikkei Stock Average Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	2.0	70.2	27.7
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	24.7	55.7	19.5
– Net Position:	-2,464	1,576	888
– Gross Longs:	221	7,620	3,008
– Gross Shorts:	2,685	6,044	2,120
– Long to Short Ratio:	0.1 to 1	1.3 to 1	1.4 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	59.2	37.5	60.1
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bullish	Bearish	Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	-6.3	4.8	1.0

MSCI EAFE Mini Futures:

The MSCI EAFE Mini large speculator standing this week was a net position of -48,823 contracts in the data reported through Tuesday. This was a weekly decline of -13,952 contracts from the previous week which had a total of -34,871 net contracts.

This week’s current strength score (the trader positioning range over the past three years, measured from 0 to 100) shows the speculators are currently Bearish-Extreme with a score of 16.4 percent. The commercials are Bullish with a score of 79.8 percent and the small traders (not shown in chart) are Bullish with a score of 51.0 percent.

Price Trend-Following Model: Weak Uptrend

Our weekly trend-following model classifies the current market price position as: Weak Uptrend.

MSCI EAFE Mini Futures Statistics	SPECULATORS	COMMERCIALS	SMALL TRADERS
– Percent of Open Interest Longs:	7.9	89.2	2.7
– Percent of Open Interest Shorts:	18.4	80.1	1.2
– Net Position:	-48,823	42,004	6,819
– Gross Longs:	36,603	414,178	12,337
– Gross Shorts:	85,426	372,174	5,518
– Long to Short Ratio:	0.4 to 1	1.1 to 1	2.2 to 1
NET POSITION TREND:
– Strength Index Score (3 Year Range Pct):	16.4	79.8	51.0
– Strength Index Reading (3 Year Range):	Bearish-Extreme	Bullish	Bullish
NET POSITION MOVEMENT INDEX:
– 6-Week Change in Strength Index:	-14.0	15.7	-9.6

Article By InvestMacro – Receive our weekly COT Newsletter

*COT Report: The COT data, released weekly to the public each Friday, is updated through the most recent Tuesday (data is 3 days old) and shows a quick view of how large speculators or non-commercials (for-profit traders) were positioned in the futures markets.

The CFTC categorizes trader positions according to commercial hedgers (traders who use futures contracts for hedging as part of the business), non-commercials (large traders who speculate to realize trading profits) and nonreportable traders (usually small traders/speculators) as well as their open interest (contracts open in the market at time of reporting). See CFTC criteria here.

COT Updates Financial News Stock Market News

07 Nov

UHS, LRCX & LDOS top latest Large Cap Stocks that made our Watchlist in October

By InvestMacro Research

The fourth quarter of 2024 is about halfway over and today we wanted to highlight some of the top companies that have recently been added to our Cosmic Rays Watchlist. The Cosmic Rays Watchlist is the output from our proprietary fundamental analysis algorithm that analyzes over one thousand companies.

The algo examines company fundamental metrics, earnings trends and overall sector strength trends. The aim is identify quality dividend-paying companies on the NYSE and Nasdaq stock exchanges. If a company scores over 50, it gets added to our Watchlist for further analysis.

We use this system as a stock market ideas generator and to update our Watchlist every quarter. However, be aware this fundamental system does not take the stock price as a direct element in our rating so one must compare each idea with their current stock prices (read: this is not a timing tool!).

Disclaimer: Markets are currently at all-time highs and many studies are consistently showing overvalued markets and that always has to be taken into consideration with any stock market idea.

As with all investment ideas, past performance does not guarantee future results. Remember, a stock added to our list is not a recommendation to buy or sell the security but merely a starting point for your own in-depth analysis.

Here are 5 of our Top Stocks scored in October 2024:

Leidos Holdings, Inc.
Universal Health Services, Inc.
Comfort Systems USA, Inc.
Lam Research Corporation
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS):

Leidos Holdings, Inc. (Symbol: LDOS) was recently added to our Cosmic Rays WatchList. LDOS scored a 73 in our fundamental rating system on October 30th, 2024.

At time of writing, only 2.00% of stocks have scored a 70 or better out of a total of 10,417 scores in our earnings database. This stock is on our Watchlist for the first time and rose by 70 system points from our last update.

LDOS is a Large Cap stock and part of the Technology sector. The industry focus for LDOS is Information Technology Services.

Company Description:

Leidos Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Defense Solutions, Civil, and Health.

Company Website: https://www.leidos.com

Asset vs Sector Benchmark: *P/E Ratio (TTM) *52-Week Price Return *Beta (S&P500)
– Stock: Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) 22.0 82.87 0.7
– Benchmark Symbol: XLK 44.2 32.1 1.2

* Data through November 06, 2024

Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS):

Universal Health Services, Inc. (Symbol: UHS) was recently added to our Cosmic Rays WatchList. UHS scored a 85 in our fundamental rating system on October 25th, 2024.

At time of writing, only 0.75% of stocks have scored a 80 or better out of a total of 10,417 scores in our earnings database. This stock has made our Watchlist a total of 6 times and rose by 3 system points from our last update.

UHS is a Large Cap stock and part of the Healthcare sector. The industry focus for UHS is Medical – Care Facilities.

Company Description (courtesy of SEC.gov):

Universal Health Services, Inc., through its subsidiaries, owns and operates acute care hospitals, and outpatient and behavioral health care facilities. The company operates through Acute Care Hospital Services and Behavioral Health Care Services segments.

Company Website: https://uhs.com

Asset vs Sector Benchmark: *P/E Ratio (TTM) *52-Week Price Return *Beta (S&P500)
– Stock: Universal Health Services, Inc. (UHS) 13.5 65.43 1.28
– Benchmark Symbol: XLV 25.1 15.27 0.7

* Data through November 06, 2024

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX):

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (Symbol: FIX) was recently added to our Cosmic Rays WatchList. FIX scored a 68 in our fundamental rating system on October 25th, 2024.

At time of writing, only 4.76% of stocks have scored a 60 or better out of a total of 10,417 scores in our earnings database. This stock has made our Watchlist a total of 3 times and rose by 20 system points from our last update.

FIX is a Large Cap stock and part of the Industrials sector. The industry focus for FIX is Engineering & Construction.

Company Description (courtesy of SEC.gov):

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. provides mechanical and electrical installation, renovation, maintenance, repair, and replacement services for the mechanical and electrical services industry in the United States. It engages in the design, engineering, integration, installation, and start-up of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems; and renovation, expansion, maintenance, monitoring, repair, and replacement of existing buildings.

Company Website: https://www.comfortsystemsusa.com

Asset vs Sector Benchmark: *P/E Ratio (TTM) *52-Week Price Return *Beta (S&P500)
– Stock: Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (FIX) 33.3 118.83 1.13
– Benchmark Symbol: XLI 30.4 33.96 1.1

* Data through November 06, 2024

Lam Research Corporation (LRCX):

Lam Research Corporation (Symbol: LRCX) was recently added to our Cosmic Rays WatchList. LRCX scored a 77 in our fundamental rating system on October 24th, 2024.

LRCX is a Large Cap stock and part of the Technology sector. The industry focus for LRCX is Semiconductors.

Company Description (courtesy of SEC.gov):

Lam Research Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, refurbishes, and services semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits.

Company Website: https://www.lamresearch.com

Asset vs Sector Benchmark: *P/E Ratio (TTM) *52-Week Price Return *Beta (S&P500)
– Stock: Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) 24.9 20.49 1.48
– Benchmark Symbol: XLK 44.2 32.1 1.2

* Data through November 06, 2024

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF):

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (Symbol: CF) was recently added to our Cosmic Rays WatchList. CF scored a 50 in our fundamental rating system on October 31st, 2024.

At time of writing, only 8.24% of stocks have scored a 50 or better out of a total of 10,417 scores in our earnings database. This stock has made our Watchlist a total of 3 times and rose by 45 system points from our last update.

CF is a Large Cap stock and part of the Basic Materials sector. The industry focus for CF is Agricultural Inputs.

Company Description (courtesy of SEC.gov):

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. manufactures and sells hydrogen and nitrogen products for energy, fertilizer, emissions abatement, and other industrial activities worldwide. Its principal products include anhydrous ammonia, granular urea, urea ammonium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate products.

Company Website: https://www.cfindustries.com

Asset vs Sector Benchmark: *P/E Ratio (TTM) *52-Week Price Return *Beta (S&P500)
– Stock: CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) 13.2 9.31 0.95
– Benchmark Symbol: XLB 18.4 18.9 1.2

* Data through November 06, 2024

By InvestMacro – Be sure to join our stock market newsletter to get our updates and to see more top companies we add to our stock watch list.

All information, stock ideas and opinions on this website are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Stock scores are a data driven process through company fundamentals and are not a recommendation to buy or sell a security. Company descriptions provided by sec.gov.

Risk Disclosure: Stock Market trading and trading on margin carries a high level of risk and can result in loss of part or all of your investment. Due to the level of risk and market volatility, Stock Market trading may not be suitable for all investors and you should not invest money you cannot afford to lose. Before deciding to invest in the stock market, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. You should be aware of all the risks associated with stock market trading, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor should you have any doubts.

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03 Nov

COT Stock Market Charts: Speculator Bets led by S&P500 & Nasdaq Minis

By InvestMacro

Here are the latest charts and statistics for the Commitment of Traders (COT) data published by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

The latest COT data is updated through Tuesday October 29th and shows a quick view of how large traders (for-profit speculators and commercial entities) were positioned in the futures markets.

Weekly Speculator Changes led by S&P500 & Nasdaq Minis

The COT stock markets speculator bets were overall lower this week as two out of the seven stock markets we cover had higher positioning while the other five markets had lower speculator contracts.

Leading the gains for the stock markets was the S&P500-Mini (39,717 contracts) with the Nasdaq-Mini (2,462 contracts) also showing a rising week.

The markets with the declines in speculator bets this week were the Russell-Mini (-6,844 contracts), the VIX (-5,597 contracts), the DowJones-Mini (-2,611 contracts), the Nikkei 225 (-498 contracts) and with the MSCI EAFE-Mini (-143 contracts) also seeing lower bets on the week.

Stock Market Net Speculators Leaderboard

Legend: Weekly Speculators Change | Speculators Current Net Position | Speculators Strength Score compared to last 3-Years (0-100 range)

Strength Scores led by VIX & Russell-Mini

COT Strength Scores (a normalized measure of Speculator positions over a 3-Year range, from 0 to 100 where above 80 is Extreme-Bullish and below 20 is Extreme-Bearish) showed that the VIX (95 percent) and the Russell-Mini (90 percent) lead the stock markets this week. The DowJones-Mini (76 percent) and S&P500-Mini (74 percent) come in as the next highest in the weekly strength scores.

On the downside, the MSCI EAFE-Mini (31 percent) comes in at the lowest strength level currently.

Strength Statistics:
VIX (94.9 percent) vs VIX previous week (100.0 percent)
S&P500-Mini (74.1 percent) vs S&P500-Mini previous week (68.2 percent)
DowJones-Mini (76.0 percent) vs DowJones-Mini previous week (80.2 percent)
Nasdaq-Mini (47.1 percent) vs Nasdaq-Mini previous week (43.3 percent)
Russell2000-Mini (90.2 percent) vs Russell2000-Mini previous week (94.8 percent)
Nikkei USD (59.2 percent) vs Nikkei USD previous week (63.4 percent)
EAFE-Mini (31.3 percent) vs EAFE-Mini previous week (31.5 percent)

S&P500-Mini & Russell-Mini top the 6-Week Strength Trends

COT Strength Score Trends (or move index, calculates the 6-week changes in strength scores) showed that the S&P500-Mini (28 percent) leads the past six weeks trends for the stock markets. The Russell-Mini (6 percent), the MSCI EAFE-Mini (6 percent) and the VIX (4 percent) are the next highest positive movers in the latest trends data.

The Nasdaq-Mini (-22 percent) leads the downside trend scores currently followed by the DowJones-Mini (-8 percent) with a lower trend score.

Strength Trend Statistics:
VIX (4.5 percent) vs VIX previous week (17.3 percent)
S&P500-Mini (27.7 percent) vs S&P500-Mini previous week (12.3 percent)
DowJones-Mini (-8.1 percent) vs DowJones-Mini previous week (6.6 percent)
Nasdaq-Mini (-21.9 percent) vs Nasdaq-Mini previous week (-35.6 percent)
Russell2000-Mini (6.1 percent) vs Russell2000-Mini previous week (8.9 percent)
Nikkei USD (-6.3 percent) vs Nikkei USD previous week (16.2 percent)
EAFE-Mini (6.3 percent) vs EAFE-Mini previous week (-5.9 percent)