Fifth Third Bank (FITB) | Making a Deal with MB Financial (MBFI)
Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) did what it rarely does, buying another bank. While many of the big banks grew by acquisition, mergers and acquisitions in the financial services space have…
Update | Options Expiration
Standard Monthly Options expire tomorrow. Since we have 6 open positions to address, we thought we should discuss them so our readers can decide what you might want to do. 2018…
Emerging or Submerging Markets
The economic development of the emerging markets has been both astounding and disappointing all at the same time. In the span of 30 years, China has gone from a frontier…
Equity Market Puzzle | Nearing a Resolution or Still Buying Time
The equity markets are giving people fits these days. Just when you think the bulls are in control, price takes a smack down. Just when you think that smack down is…
Oil is Where the Action Is
The stocks of energy (oil & gas) companies are leading the market higher much to the surprise to us and many market observers. The US oil and gas industry is undergoing…
Covered Call Report
Covered call writing is the most common options trading strategies used by individuals and professionals alike. Some people believe it is a low-risk strategy that generates income. We like to…
Another Wild Ride | Where to next?
Trading financial assets and commodities are rarely easy. When one fills out their tax forms each year, the government classifies investment gains as "unearned" income. Evidently, nobody in the government…
Wells (WFC) Is this as Far as it Goes?
Wells Fargo (WFC) has been in the news for all the wrong reasons the fast few months. Bazar incentive plans encouraged bank branch employees to create fictitious accounts to meet…
Let’s Talk About the Most Ignored Asset Among Fund Managers… The US Dollar
The US Dollar is a bit of an enigma. There is so much happening in the equity and bond markets the last few years, that nobody pays any attention to…
Unusual Options Activity | Freeport McMoRan (FCX)
Yesterday, the equity markets fell hard. The S&P500 was down $35.73 points (1.34%). the NASDAQ was down $121.25 points (1.7%), and the DJIA was down $424.56 points (1.74%). The surprise…