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In this video, after last week’s sharp market rally, Mary Ellen breaks down where the markets stand now, which leading sectors are showing the most strength, and how to recognize if your stocks are entering a new uptrend. Get expert insights on market leadership, sector rotation, and key signals to watch as momentum builds in specific areas of the market. This is a must-watch for investors looking to stay on top of current stock trends and spot early breakout opportunities.

This video originally premiered April 25, 2025. You can watch it on our dedicated page for Mary Ellen’s videos.

New videos from Mary Ellen premiere weekly on Fridays. You can view all previously recorded episodes at this link.

If you’re looking for stocks to invest in, be sure to check out the MEM Edge Report! This report gives you detailed information on the top sectors, industries and stocks so you can make informed investment decisions.

South of the border, cooling rhetoric from the Trump administration led what turned out to be a relatively quiet news week.

Markets were volatile at the start of the week, however, after US President Donald Trump suggested on April 17 that Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s “termination couldn’t come fast enough.”

The president softened his stance on Tuesday (April 22) when he said he had no intention of firing the head of the US central bank, but called him a “major loser.” Trump has been critical of Powell, saying that he has been slow to react to the markets in making rate cuts.

For his part, Powell has remained steadfast in waiting for more data before making decisions to tackle interest rates, most recently saying the Fed was taking its time to analyze the effect of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.

This week, the president also implied that the high tariffs of 145 percent he implemented against China may come down in the future, although he said they would not be removed entirely. The comments helped to ease market tension on Tuesday, although he didn’t say when he would lower them.

However, economists believe that unless there is a substantial reduction to the 10 to 20 percent range, trade between the countries will not be normalized.

China said it was open to working out a deal, but not until the US remove all tariffs levied against Chinese imports. The Chinese foreign ministry also contradicted Trump’s statements that the two countries had been in negotiations.

As for Canada, Statistics Canada released its monthly mineral production survey for February on Tuesday.

The report showed that metallic mineral production was down from January. Copper production fell to 32.42 million kilograms from 34.1 million kilograms, gold production fell to 16,431 kilograms from 16,969 kilograms and silver production declined to 20,543 kilograms from 22,634 kilograms.

Shipments mostly increased compared to January’s figures. Copper rose to 29.23 million kilograms from 28.58 million kilograms and gold shipments increased to 15,328 kilograms from 14,751 kilograms. Silver saw the only decline, dropping to 16,592 kilograms from 17,227 kilograms.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 2.24 percent during the week to close at 24,710.51 on Friday (April 25), the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) rose 2.25 percent to 653.82 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) surged 6.05 percent to 120.11.

US equity markets were highly volatile this week, but posted significant gains by close on Friday, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) adding 5.67 percent to close at 5,525.22, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gaining 7.82 percent to 19,432.56 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) rose 3.1 percent to 40,113.51.

The gold price climbed to a new high early in the week, touching the US$3,500 per ounce mark on Tuesday. However, by the end of the week it was in retreat, closing out Friday down 0.75 percent at US$3,307.54. The silver price went the opposite direction, rising 1.79 percent during the period to US$33.05.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price gained 3.16 percent over the week to US$4.89 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) fell 0.25 percent to close at 537.20.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Here’s a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Tag Oil (TSXV:TAO)

Weekly gain: 76.47 percent
Market cap: C$32.77 million
Share price: C$0.15

Tag Oil is an oil and gas development company working to advance assets in Egypt’s Badr oil field.

The oilfield was first discovered in 1982 and has seen significant production since that time. Tag has been focused on exploration of the Abu Roash formation, and according to a November 2022 report, has estimated that its BED-1 concession contains more than 531.5 million barrels of oil in place, and represents an opportunity for successful commercial development.

Shares in Tag gained this week after the company announced on Tuesday that it had closed the sale of its 2.5 percent gross overriding royalty interests on the Cheal, Cardiff, Sidewinder, Puka and Cheal East operations in New Zealand. The company received the royalties in 2018 when it sold the assets.

Under the terms of the sale, the company received US$2.2 million, with the possibility of an additional US$300,000 in milestone payments. Tag stated the sale allows it to reallocate its resources to advancing its core business in Egypt.

2. Critical One Energy (CSE:CRTL)

Weekly gain: 63.27 percent
Market cap: C$12.65 million
Share price: C$0.40

Critical One is a critical mineral and uranium exploration company working to advance projects in Canada and Namibia.

The company’s uranium projects are located in Namibia and consist of the Madison West and the Madison North projects. They are situated in a region that hosts two producing uranium mines, the China National Nuclear Power (SHA:601985) led Rössing mine and CGN Power’s (OTC Pink:CGNWF,HKEX:1816) Husab mine.

The Madison West site covers an area of 35 square kilometers and hosts four primary prospects, including ML121, which has geological similarities to the deposits found at Rössing. The Madison North site covers an area of 26.13 square kilometers and has seen 50 holes completed over 3,720 meters.

Critical One’s newest asset is the Howells Lake antimony-gold project located near Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada. The site is composed of 697 claims covering an area of 13,991 hectares. According to the project page, a historic resource estimate shows 51 million pounds of contained antimony from 1.7 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1.7 percent antimony.

Multiple parties previously owned the property, and on January 13, Critical One announced it had entered into a definitive purchase and sale agreement with Bounty Gold and the other vendors to acquire 100 percent of the project.

The company has not released any project news in the last week.

3. Patagonia Gold (TSXV:PGDC)

Weekly gain: 55.56 percent
Market cap: C$32.55 million
Share price: C$0.07

Patagonia Gold is a precious metals production and development company primarily focused on advancing its Cap-Oeste and Calcatreu underground projects in Argentina.

Located in Santa Cruz province, Cap-Oeste hosted open-pit mining operations until 2018. While Patagonia is working on the exploration and development of the underground resource at the site, it has been able to recover gold and silver from residual leaching on site.

In Patagonia’s management discussion and analysis, released on November 29, it reported that it had produced 1,415 ounces of gold and 65,046 ounces of silver from Cap-Oeste during the first nine months of 2024.

According to the company’s website, a 2018 mineral resource estimate for Cap-Oeste reported measured and indicated values of 704,300 ounces of gold and 21.43 million ounces of silver from 10.56 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 2.07 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold and 63.2 g/t silver.

Acquired in a deal with Pan American Silver (NYSE:PAAS,TSX:PAAS) in 2017, the Calcatreu project is located in Argentina’s Rio Negro province and covers approximately 90,000 hectares. A 2018 mineral resource estimate for Calcatreu reported measured and indicated values of 669,000 ounces of gold and 6.28 million ounces of silver from 9.84 million metric tons of ore with average grades of 2.11 g/t gold and 19.8 g/t silver.

The most recent news from the company came on Tuesday when it announced it had increased its loan facility with Cantomi Capital to US$50 million from US$45 million with a maturity date of December 31, 2026. The company intends to use the additional funds to continue the development at Calcatreu.

4. Azincourt Energy (TSXV:AAZ)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$11.23 million
Share price: C$0.03

Azincourt Energy is a uranium exploration and development company working to advance projects in Canada.

One of its main focuses in 2025 is the Snegamook uranium project in the Central Mineral Belt of Newfoundland and Labrador. In October 2024, the company signed an option agreement to acquire a 100 percent stake in the property from BR Corporation.

The belt contains multiple uranium deposits including Paladin Energy’s (TSX:PDN,ASX:PDN) Michelin deposit, which hosts a measured and indicated resource of 82.2 million pounds of U3O8.

The property consists of 17 claims covering an area of 423 hectares and hosts proven shallow uranium mineralization. Previous exploration work discovered 1.3 kilometers of uranium bearing strike.

The most recent news from the project came on March 25, when Azincourt announced it was planning its inaugural work program that would include up to 1,000 meters of initial diamond drilling to confirm and expand on known uranium mineralization.

Its other focus this year has been at its East Preston project in the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan. The site covers 20,647 hectares and is one of the largest landholdings in the region.

Azincourt announced on April 1 that it was planning a geophysical program at the property in the fall, and in the winter it may perform follow-up diamond drilling on clay alteration zones discovered at the site in 2023 and 2024.

5. Novagold (TSX:NG)

Weekly gain: 49.88 percent
Market cap: C$2.31 billion
Share price: C$6.18

Novagold is a development company working to bring its Donlin Gold asset into production. The property, located in West-central Alaska, US, is currently a 50/50 joint venture between Novagold and Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD).

According to a June 2021 technical report, the property hosts proven and probable reserves of 33.85 million ounces of gold from 504.81 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 2.09 g/t gold.

The report also demonstrated an after tax net present value of US$3.04 billion with an internal rate of return of 9.2 percent over a payback period of 7.3 years, all of which is based on a gold price of US$1,500 per ounce.

On Tuesday, the company announced that it and Paulson Advisers had entered into a definitive agreement with Barrick Gold to acquire Barrick’s 50 percent interest in the project for US$1 billion, with Novagold purchasing 10 percent of it for US$200 million. Upon completion, Novagold’s stake will increase to 60 percent and Paulson Advisers will hold a 40 percent stake.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of February 2025, there were 1,572 companies listed on the TSXV, 905 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,859 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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This post appeared first on investingnews.com

A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked an executive order from President Donald Trump that would cancel collective bargaining rights for most federal workers. 

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman blocked the Trump administration from implementing the order following a lawsuit from the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents about 160,000 federal employees.

The union claims in the lawsuit that the order would violate federal workers’ labor rights and is unconstitutional, adding that it would lose two-thirds of its membership and half of its dues if they order is allowed to go through. 

The order exempted more than a dozen agencies from the requirement to bargain with unions, including the departments of Justice, State, Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services departments.

It affects around 75% of the nearly one million federal workers represented by unions and expands an existing rule that exempts national security agencies like the FBI and CIA from collective bargaining requirements.

The U.S. Treasury Department also filed a lawsuit against the NTEU following the order to invalidate a collective bargaining agreement involving IRS employees. 

The order is part of the administration’s efforts to lessen the size of the federal government, by making it easier to discipline and fire workers and change working conditions. 

The temporary injunction will remain in place pending the outcome of the NTEU lawsuit. 

Friedman said he would issue an opinion explaining his ruling in the next few days.

He also gave attorneys on both sides a week to propose how the lawsuit should move forward. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment. 

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. 


This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

After weeks of uncertainty, the stock market finally gave us something to smile about. The major indexes just wrapped up four straight days of gains, and optimism is starting to creep back in. Could this be the shift we’ve been waiting for?

Let’s break it down.

The big concerns this week were all about tariffs and the potential removal of Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. But markets breathed a sigh of relief when it looked like tensions might ease between the two largest global economies. Plus, Powell staying put at the Fed helped calm some nerves.

In short, the fear factor took a breather, and the bulls took charge.

What Are the Charts Telling Us?

The S&P 500 ($SPX) crossed above the key 5500 level. This isn’t just any number; it’s a major line in the sand. It represents the March low and, if you go further back on the daily chart below, it has been a support and resistance level for previous price action. The purple horizontal line marks the 5,500 level.

FIGURE 1. SIGNS OF A TURNAROUND? The S&P 500 closed above the key 5,500 level, a major breakthrough. Breadth indicators are suggesting expanding bullish participation. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Even better, market breadth is improving.

  • The Bullish Percent Index (BPI) for the S&P 500 is at 65% — a solidly bullish reading.
  • The Advance-Decline Line is trending higher.
  • The percentage of S&P 500 stocks trading above their 200-day moving average is beginning to display increasing bullish participation.

We are also seeing strength across the board:

  • BPI readings for the Nasdaq 100, S&P 100, S&P 500, and Dow Industrials are all above 50%.
  • 10 of the 11 S&P 500 sectors have BPIs above 50%, with Consumer Staples being the only one with a BPI below 50. This is surprising since it was one of the only sectors above 50% not long ago.

Sector Watch: Who’s Leading?

If you’re looking for clues about the market’s next big move, watch sector rotation. Right now, leadership is coming from:

  • Technology
  • Consumer Discretionary
  • Communication Services

These are your classic “risk-on” sectors—if they’re leading, that’s typically a bullish sign.

What About Bonds, Gold, and the Dollar?

Some of the big-picture trends are starting to stabilize, too:

  • Bond yields are dipping, which is helping bond prices recover.
  • Gold pulled back after hitting new highs.
  • The U.S. dollar is showing signs of strength again.
  • And the $VIX—Wall Street’s fear gauge—is finally back below 30.

All small signs, but they add up.

Indicator of the Week: The Zweig Breadth Thrust

One indicator all technical analysts should take note of is the Zweig Breadth Thrust indicator.  It’s a rare signal that flashes when market breadth shifts quickly from bearish to bullish.

The indicator is the 10-day exponential moving average (EMA) of net NYSE advances. The NYSE Breadth Thrust signal fires when the indicator moves from below 0.40 to above 0.615 in 10 days.

The weekly chart below shows that this is the third time the Zweig Breadth Thrust signal was fired in the last five years. The last two times this occurred were in 2023, when the NYSE recovered after dipping below its 40- and 150-week simple moving average (SMA). This time, the index bounced off its 150-week SMA.

FIGURE 2. ZWEIG BREADTH THRUST FIRES A REVERSAL SIGNAL. Previous signals have been followed by bullish moves in the NYSE. Will we see a similar scenario this time? Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.The Zweig Breadth Thrust is a bullish reversal signal. Note that each time the signal was fired, the market moved higher. It doesn’t guarantee a bull run, but it’s a green flag.

What’s Coming Next Week?

If this weren’t a headline-driven market, I would be more confident about the possibility of the market moving higher. Next week is packed with potential market-moving headlines.

  • Big Tech earnings
  • Q1 GDP
  • PCE Inflation data (the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge)
  • ISM Manufacturing
  • Non-Farm Payrolls

At the Close

The underlying market conditions are improving and some key signals are flashing green. But, as noted, it’s still a headline-driven market, and that means all the more reason to stay alert. Focus on leading sectors, watch for confirmation in breadth, and keep your investment plan tight.


End-of-Week Wrap-Up

  • S&P 500 up 4.59% on the week, at 5525.21, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 2.48% on the week at 40,113.50; Nasdaq Composite up 6.73% on the week at 17,382.94.
  • $VIX down 16.22% on the week, closing at 24.84.
  • Best performing sector for the week: Technology
  • Worst performing sector for the week: Consumer Staples
  • Top 5 Large Cap SCTR stocks: Palantir Technologies, Inc. (PLTR); Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (RKLB); Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD); Rubrik, Inc. (RBRK); MicroStrategy, Inc. (MSTR)

On the Radar Next Week

  • Earnings season continues with Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), and others reporting
  • March JOLTs Job Openings
  • Q1 GDP Growth Rate
  • March PCE
  • April ISM Manufacturing
  • April Non-Farm Payrolls


Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Friday calling for a review of Military Equal Opportunity and DoD civilian Equal Employment Opportunity programs. The secretaries of each military department are required under the memo to assess the programs in place within their own departments.

In a video posted on X announcing the memo, Hegseth said that while it’s ‘a good thing’ that the military has multiple avenues for both service members and civilians to complain about harassment and discrimination, the systems have been ‘weaponized’ and used ‘in bad faith to retaliate against superiors or peers.’

The memo’s official title is ‘Restoring Good Order and Discipline Through Balanced Accountability,’ but Hegseth says he calls it the ‘No More Walking on Eggshells’ policy.

‘So, here’s the goal: empower leaders to make tough decisions, enforce standards, and restore good order and discipline,’ Hegseth said in the video.

The memo directs the secretaries to ensure that complaints that ‘are unsubstantiated by actionable, credible evidence are timely dismissed.’ Additionally, ‘favorable actions,’ such as awards and promotions, involving the alleged offender are to be considered until the complaint is substantiated. Finally, the memo states that those who ‘knowingly submit false complaints’ may face discipline.

The secretaries have 45 days to complete their reviews.

Hegseth is no stranger to controversy and has faced several allegations since being tapped to lead DoD. It is not a stretch to imagine that he might have empathy for those facing false or unsubstantiated allegations.

 

Prior to his confirmation, Hegseth faced allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and mismanagement of veterans’ organizations. This included an affidavit by his former sister-in-law in which she alleged that Hegseth was physically abusive to his ex-wife, Samantha ‘Sam’ Hegseth. However, Sam denied the allegations, saying she did not experience physical abuse during her marriage to Hegseth.

Hegseth told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing that he is not a ‘perfect person,’ but asserted that he was the subject of a ‘coordinated smear campaign orchestrated in the media.’ 

Additionally, since becoming secretary of defense, Hegseth has been involved in two scandals regarding the encrypted messaging app Signal.

The first scandal occurred when The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg was added to a Signal chat in which there were discussions about plans for the U.S. to strike Yemen. While National Security Advisor Mike Waltz took a lot of heat for the situation, Hegseth was not spared from criticism. In the end, the Trump administration insisted that the discussions in the group did not actually involve ‘war plans.’

On Sunday, Hegseth was accused of sharing military information in a Signal group chat that included his wife, brother and personal attorney. The New York Times reported that people with knowledge of the situation said the information ‘included the flight schedules for the F/A-18 Hornets targeting the Houthis in Yemen.’ 

Hegseth told ‘FOX & Friends’ that the allegations were meant to ‘sabotage’ President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Despite an op-ed suggesting that Hegseth could be on the way out, the White House has stood behind him.

‘He is bringing monumental change to the Pentagon, and there’s a lot of people in the city who reject monumental change, and I think, frankly, that’s why we’ve seen a smear campaign against the Secretary of Defense since the moment that President Trump announced his nomination before the United States Senate,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday. 

Diana Stancy contributed to this report.


This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The S&P 500 index managed to log one of its strongest weeks in 2025.  Short-term breadth conditions have improved, and the crucial 5500 level has now been broken to the upside.  Are we in the later stages of a countertrend rally, or just in the early innings of a broader recovery for stocks?  Let’s review three key charts together and evaluate the evidence.

Trendline Break Suggests Further Short-Term Strength

My daily chart of the S&P 500 has featured a thick pink trendline since March, when a lower peak around 5800 provided a perfect opportunity to define the downtrend phase.  With the quick reversal off the early April low around 4850, the SPX has finally broken back above this trendline.

To be clear, after a breakout of this magnitude, I’m always looking for confirmation from the following day.  Will additional buyers come in to push this chart even further to the upside?  Assuming that’s the case, then I’m immediately drawn to a confluence of resistance in the 5750-5850 range.

The 200-day moving average is currently sitting right around the late March peak, and both of those levels line up well with a price gap back in November 2024.  If the S&P 500 can finally break above that resistance range, I would expect much further upside for risk assets.

Breadth Conditions Confirm Short-Term Market Strength

One of the biggest improvements I’ve seen coming out of the early April low is the upgrade in short-term breadth conditions.  The McClellan Oscillator has broken back above the zero level, most days this week saw more advancers than decliners, and the Bullish Percent Index has definitely improved.

In the bottom panel, we can see that the S&P 500 Bullish Percent Index has risen from a low just above 10% at the April low to finish this week at 64%.  That confirms that over half of the S&P 500 members generated a point & figure buy signal in the month of April!

But the middle panel shows the real challenge here, in that long-term measures of breadth are still clearly in the bearish range.  Only 35% of the S&P 500 stocks are above their 200-day moving average, similar to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100.  Only if this indicator can push above the 50% level does the S&P 500 stand a real chance of sustainable gains above 5750.

The Stoplight Technique Lays Out a Clear Playbook

I love to overlay a “stoplight” visualization on a chart like this, helping me clarify how I’ll think about risk depending on where the S&P 500 sits at any given point.  

I would argue that a confirmed break above resistance at 5500 brings the S&P 500 chart into the “neutral” bucket.  In this way, we’re respecting the fact that a rally from 4850 to 5500 is a fairly impressive feat, but also acknowledges that the SPX remains below its most important long-term trend barometer, the 200-day moving average.

If we see further gains in the weeks to come, the SPX may indeed push into the bullish range, which for me would mean a push above 5750-5800.  In that scenario, the S&P 500 would be clear of its 200-day moving average, and I would feel much more comfortable adding risk to the portfolio.  Until and unless we see that upside follow-through, I’ll remain comfortably defensive.


RR#6,

Dave

PS- Ready to upgrade your investment process?  Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice.  The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.  

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication.    Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

In this video, Grayson highlights the crucial 5,500 level on the S&P 500 using our “Tactical Timing” chart. He then demonstrates two of the easiest methods for identifying the strongest stocks within key indexes like the S&P 500, NASDAQ 100 and Dow Industrials. He’ll show you how to find leading stocks that are moving higher using the New Highs feature of the Market Summary dashboard. From there, Grayson explores the Index Members page, and explains how to sort by SCTR rankings to quickly pinpoint the strongest stocks within any major index.

This video originally premiered on April 25, 2024. Click on the above image to watch on our dedicated Grayson Roze page on StockCharts TV.

You can view previously recorded videos from Grayson at this link.

This week will be the biggest week of earnings season and yes, all eyes will be on the heavy-hitters: META, AMZN, MSFT, and AAPL. These names dominate headlines, and their charts are practically seared into our brains.

But let’s look at some solid companies that might fly under the radar but deserve some attention.

First Up, Coca-Cola Co. (KO)

KO shares have been a safe haven and steady gainer during these uncertain times. Shares are up over 15.5% year-to-date as the consumer staple giant and Warren Buffett’s favorite stock outperforms the overall market.

However, coming into this week’s earnings release, momentum seems to be fizzling out. Shares of rival PepsiCo. (PEP) missed the mark and traded lower. The biggest component of the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP), Procter & Gamble (PG), also fell after mixed results.

Last week, investors shifted back into Technology and Consumer Discretionary and away from Consumer Staples. Shares of KO also fell as a result and now sit at an interesting level heading into its earnings release.

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF COCA COLA CO. Note the saucer pattern.

Technically, shares had formed one of my favorite reversal patterns over the last year—a saucer bottom. This saucer bottom did not resolve to the upside and got faked out on “Liberation Day”. That drop quickly reversed as shares again tried to break out from this pattern. Yet again, they are struggling to do so as momentum wanes.

The safe trade in KO has lost momentum on each rally, as seen in the lower highs of its relative strength index (RSI). This bearish divergence is cause for concern as price hits a crossroads into earnings.

The upside move may be limited for now, and shares could retreat to between $67 and $70. After last quarter’s report, shares broke out to the upside and climbed higher. It will be critical for the bulls to see shares stay above $71/$72 for a continuation of this recent run.

For now, the stock has fallen flat, and if the rotation back into tech continues, it may take time for KO to take another leg higher.

Next Up, Visa, Inc. (V)

V has been another outperformer relative to its sector and the overall market. Shares are up 6.1% year-to-date and 22% over the last 52 weeks.

What should investors watch for in Tuesday’s report? Consumer spending, especially in travel and dining—areas where Visa often sees the most activity. Have investors changed their tune given tariff uncertainty and potential price swings, or have they rushed to spend due to any potential increases?

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF VISA, INC. The stock is holding key support level but is making lower highs.

Technically, we are looking at a two-year daily chart to show the longer-term uptrend. That helps us put the recent weakness in perspective. Shares have declined 17% from their peak, but the sell-off was mostly orderly and took shares back to their rising 200-day moving average.

Shares were able to hold that key support area but have consistently made lower highs since its February peak. It also sits at its 50-day moving average, which is also starting to turn over. So things are at a near-term crossroads.

Clearly, earnings will be the catalyst to help shares make their next move. The moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) has triggered a buy signal and reached its lowest levels in two years. That is a positive development and could lead to an upswing that breaks the recent trend and gets shares back on a path to new highs.

Last, But Not Least, Intercontinental Exchange Group (ICE)

ICE, the parent company of the NYSE, has benefited from market volatility and expanding trading volumes. Shares are up 6.1% year-to-date and over 21% over the last 52-weeks.

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF ICE. The stock price may face some headwinds, but a break above $167 will be positive for the stock.

Shares had been on a tear before mid-March. Then the market turned and took ICE shares with it. However, the sell-off took shares to critical technical levels where they held. The stock closed under its 200-day moving average for six days on its last trip below the level. Ironically, it did the same thing in early January and then rallied.

Now that the big test of the long-term uptrend was successful again, we head into earnings hoping it can build from this level. A risk/reward set-up is quite favorable if we use a level just under the 200-day for a stop loss.

The upside has minor challenges as well, but the path of least resistance looks higher. Any gap or rally over $167 should lead to a momentum surge higher. Its MACD just triggered a buy signal, and a solid earnings report should take shares to their old highs.

Final Thoughts

While the big tech names will dominate the headlines this week, it’s often the lesser-watched stocks that quietly outperform. KO, Visa, and ICE all have compelling stories and interesting technical setups going into earnings. If you’re looking for opportunities beyond the big tech stocks, these could be worth a closer look.

President Donald Trump’s patience is being tested by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched a barrage of airstrikes on the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 100 more this week, one day ahead of Special Envoy Steve Witkoff’s fourth visit to Moscow.

Trump told reporters Friday he believes it is ‘possible’ and even ‘very probable’ his administration will negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. 

‘I think, in the end, we’re going to end up with a lot of good deals, including tariff deals and trade deals. We’re going to make our country rich,’ Trump said ahead of his departure for Rome. ‘We’re going to try and get out of war so that we can save 5,000 people a week. That’s what my aim is.’

Trump repeated that he has no deadline for a deal, only that one must be ironed out ‘as fast as possible.’

He made his comments one week after the U.S. threatened to abandon talks if Russia and Ukraine didn’t soon reach a deal and one day after Trump issued a direct message to Putin on social media to ‘stop’ bombing Ukraine. 

‘I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5,000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the peace deal DONE,’ he wrote. 

Trump also conceded that his repeated claims from the campaign trail that he would have the war in Ukraine stopped within 24 hours of taking office were not based on realistic goals but were ‘figurative.’

‘I said that as an exaggeration,’ he told reporters, again blaming the war on his predecessor, President Biden.

But it appears Trump’s verbal warnings to Putin have fallen on deaf ears, similar to the results of Biden’s verbal warnings. Trump has repeatedly accused Biden of being partly at fault for the war, though he has not explained why. 

Former Moscow CIA Station Chief Dan Hoffman said he and other security experts repeatedly warned that, under the Biden administration, Ukraine was not sufficiently armed to adequately take on Russia. 

‘After failing to deter Putin’s invasion, the Biden administration just kept Ukraine in the fight but didn’t give Ukraine a chance to punch back fast enough or hard enough,’ he said.

‘There are three options,’ Hoffman added, explaining how the U.S. can use its position as leverage over Moscow. ‘One, entice Russia. That’s what Trump is trying to do with trade deals and eliminating sanctions. And Putin has kind of plowed through that by rejecting confidence-building ceasefire deals.

‘The second option is to make Putin pay on the battlefield so that he feels so much pain he has to stop the invasion,’ he added. ‘We convince Putin that we’re going to rearm Ukraine by saying, ‘We’ve offered you a great deal. You don’t want the deal, we’re going to arm the Ukrainians.

‘The third option is to just walk away and let Europe fend for themselves and support Ukraine as much as they can. We would run the risk that Russia would take more territory from Ukraine. That would be a victory for Russia and its allies – China, North Korea and Iran.

‘Let them do it, and then you’ll pay the price everywhere else in the world,’ Hoffman warned, referring to China’s threats against Taiwan. ‘Americans don’t like to fight wars. OK, we don’t like to lose wars either.’

An official with knowledge of the talks told Fox News Digital Friday that ‘Ambassador Witkoff is in Russia to meet with President Putin as part of President Trump’s efforts to make peace. 

‘It’s long past time for the death and destruction to stop, to move past the failed strategies of the past and for an end to this devastating conflict,’ the official added without commenting on the ‘substance of negotiations.’

A report by Axios this week suggested the White House had extended a ‘final offer’ to Ukraine and Russia that called on Kyiv to recognize Russia’s occupation of nearly all the Luhansk region and the occupied areas of the Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

It also said the U.S. would agree to recognize Crimea, which Putin illegally seized from Ukraine in 2014, as now legally a part of Russia, and that Washington would lift sanctions. 

Neither the White House nor the National Security Council responded to Fox News Digital’s repeated questions about whether there will be consequences for Putin should he fail to enter into an agreement with Ukraine.

The administration also did not comment on why it believes Putin wants to enter into an agreement with the U.S. when security officials have repeatedly warned otherwise. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already said he will not acknowledge Crimea as a part of Russia but rather as Ukrainian land illegally occupied by Russia.

Zelenskyy also on Thursday posted a 2018 ‘Crimea declaration’ by Trump’s first-term Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, which said, ‘No country can change the borders of another by force’ in a move to signify Trump’s apparent position change that now favors Russia.


This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

If you’re like most options traders, you’ve probably stared at your watchlist or portfolio and wondered, “What’s the best trade I can make right now?” Well, we’ve got great news: your trading workflow just got a serious upgrade.

Thanks to the latest integration between StockCharts.com and OptionsPlay, the OptionsPlay Strategy Center now lets you scan real-time options strategies directly from your ChartLists. That’s right—your long-term holdings, sector watchlists, or technical scan results can now feed straight into a personalized options engine that does the heavy lifting for you.

Let’s break it all down—how it works, what strategies it supports, and how to squeeze the most juice out of this awesome new feature.

Step-by-Step: How It Works

1. Launch the OptionsPlay Strategy Center. Head over to your Dashboard in StockCharts.com and click the OptionsPlay Strategy Center button (you’ll find it at the top). This kicks off your deep dive into the Trade Ideas and ChartLists.

2. Pick your ChartList from the Dropdown menu. Choose from any of your saved lists. These could be:

  • Long-term holdings
  • Growth stock watchlist
  • Sector-specific lists
  • Any list where you want to compare options strategies to find the highest performing options strategies, personalized to your trading and risk preferences.

3. View Real-Time Strategy Rankings

Here’s where the magic happens. For each symbol in your list, OptionsPlay will:

  • Evaluate the optimal strategy based on market conditions
  • Rank it by Strategy Score, Risk/Reward, and Probability
  • Give you the full risk analytics: Max Risk & Reward, Probability of Profit, IV Rank, Earnings Dates, etc.

4. Customize Based on Your Preferences

Want only spreads? Prefer shorter expirations? Looking for bullish setups?

You can customize strategies using the built-in settings:

  • Choose your preferred strategy types. Covered calls, credit spreads, debit spreads, etc.
  • Adjust your risk tolerance or Days to Expiration (DTE) window.
  • Filter for bullish, bearish, or neutral trade setups.

5. Dive Deeper or Trade It

Launch the OptionsPlay Strategy Center in SharpCharts or ACP to explore the trade structure, or export your results to enter them with your broker.

Real-World Use Cases

Income Strategy on Holdings

Got a list of stocks you already own? Use the Strategy Explorer to scan for Covered Calls or Short Puts that offer the best combo of yield and downside protection.

Directional Setups on ChartLists

Have a ChartList generated based on your custom-built scan? Run your technical trade ideas through the Strategy Explorer and identify the highest-yielding Bullish Debit Spreads or Bearish Credit Spreads, aligned with your technical views.

The OptionsPlay Strategy Center is no longer just a tool for trade ideas—it’s a fully personalized trading engine. Whether you’re a portfolio-focused investor or an active options trader, this feature cuts hours off your research and puts hours of professional-grade options research in front of you.

Ready to Try It?

Launch the OptionsPlay Strategy Center and pick a ChartList to explore personalized strategies on your stocks, in real time.


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