• 3 Ways to Invest in the Acceleration of E-Commerce That Aren't Amazon
    Motley Fool

    3 Ways to Invest in the Acceleration of E-Commerce That Aren't Amazon

    Online sales have exploded during the coronavirus pandemic, as consumers try to stay home more. Online sales at Walmart, Target, and Best Buy in the first quarter increased by 74%, 141%, and 155%, respectively. Meanwhile, the 800-pound gorilla that is Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) continued its steady march, growing global online sales by 24% (Amazon's fiscal quarter ends a month before the other retailers mentioned).

  • Visa (V) Up 9.2% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?
    Zacks

    Visa (V) Up 9.2% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?

    Visa (V) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.

  • Better Buy: Activision Blizzard vs. NVIDIA
    Motley Fool

    Better Buy: Activision Blizzard vs. NVIDIA

    Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) are pillars of the video game industry. Meanwhile, many of the millions of PC gamers are using NVIDIA's graphics cards, and the company claims to serve more than 200 million gamers with its GeForce family of graphics processing units (GPUs) and is the market share leader in the discrete GPU market. With more people at home since March, Activision Blizzard reported high engagement levels across most of its games.

  • 3 Stocks That Pay You Monthly
    Motley Fool

    3 Stocks That Pay You Monthly

    For retirees or those planning their retirement, stocks that pay their dividends monthly are particularly attractive investments. With its stock 66% below the 52-week high of almost $8.50 per share hit last September -- or even the $7 level it was trading at just before the COVID-19 outbreak struck -- investors have an opportunity to realize significant capital appreciation with Enerplus while continuing to receive their monthly dividend check.

  • USO Oil ETF Faces U.S. Probes Over Investor Risk Disclosures
    Bloomberg

    USO Oil ETF Faces U.S. Probes Over Investor Risk Disclosures

    (Bloomberg) -- A popular exchange traded fund that uses complex derivatives to track oil is being investigated by U.S. regulators over whether its risks were properly disclosed to investors, scrutiny triggered by crude’s historic slump during the coronavirus crisis, said three people familiar with the matter.The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission have both opened probes into the $4.64 billion United States Oil Fund, said the people who asked not to be named because the matter is private. The fund has lost 75% of its value this year.Issues the agencies are examining, the people said, include whether shareholders were adequately informed that the ETF’s value wouldn’t necessarily move in tandem with the spot price of oil and the fund’s recent decision to purchase crude contracts that expire further out in the future. The change in contracts USO was buying deviated from its past investment strategy.The inquiries into the ETF, known by its ticker USO, are in their early stages and may not lead to allegations of wrongdoing. United States Commodity Funds, the company that manages USO, hasn’t been accused of any misconduct by the SEC or CFTC.Senior executives at United States Commodity Funds didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment. Spokesmen for the SEC and CFTC declined to comment.The investigations are significant because USO has grown to be a dominant player in the market for crude futures. As it got bigger, the ETF attracted legions of mom-and-pop investors who saw it as an easy and simple way to wager on oil. These less sophisticated shareholders are among those who’ve endured heavy losses amid the oil rout, a plunge highlighted by the commodity’s first-ever slide into negative territory on April 20.Read More: For Creators of USO ETF, Troubles in Market Began a Decade AgoUSO rose 85 cents to close at $25.88 on Friday.USO has issued six disclosures to shareholders in the last two months noting changes to the fund’s investment strategy, which it has had to quickly rejigger in response to recent events. In the SEC filings, the ETF has said it’s buying longer-dated futures -- contracts that are typically less volatile than those that expire in the succeeding month.The shifts have led to concerns that USO could become increasingly disconnected from the spot oil price that it’s long sought to track. For its part, the fund emphasized in a Tuesday filing that it’s not a proxy for trading directly in oil markets, but carries many of the same risks. USO has also issued disclosures this month stating that its daily share moves may not correlate with changes in the price of oil and that “recent and unprecedented volatility” in crude markets demonstrates the potential risks of investing in the fund.USO buys futures, not physical oil. The fund mainly invests in CME Group Inc.’s benchmark West Texas Intermediate contracts. Its WTI holdings became huge in March as oil plunged, a drop triggered by falling demand during the coronavirus pandemic and a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.Extreme ConcentrationEven before oil fell to minus $37.63 a barrel on April 20, investors who concluded the rout had bottomed out rushed to purchase shares of USO to bet on a rebound. That buying surge contributed to USO amassing a quarter of all outstanding front-month WTI contracts, those which are closest to expiring. Such extreme concentration prompted CME to inform USO in late April that it was placing limits on the fund’s holdings of June, July, August and September contracts.The fund said in an April 24 SEC filing that investors should expect “continued deviations” between USO’s performance and the WTI benchmark, in part due to the new restrictions. The fund added that it might not be able to meet its objective of reflecting changes in the spot oil price.Risk ManagementUSO faces issues separate from regulators’ investigations. For instance, its sole broker, RBC Capital Markets LLC, has decided against adding new futures positions that would grow the size of the fund because of risk management concerns, according to a Tuesday SEC filing. In addition, USO has been awaiting SEC approval for more than a month to sell additional shares to investors eager to keep wagering on oil. WTI has rallied more than 75% in May, while USO has risen about 30%. In a filing on Friday, USO said that Marex Spectron will serve as an additional broker.Read More: Oil ETF Ensnared in Crude’s Crash Tries to Stave Off TurmoilSEC and CFTC officials have been in contact with each other about concerns related to USO, according to one person familiar with the matter. The CFTC also issued a rare public warning last week to retail investors to highlight the “unique risks” of commodity exchange traded products.“The value of the shares in the commodity pool may not track the value of the underlying asset over time,” the CFTC said in its May 22 statement. “This difference is because unlike with stocks, a futures contract cannot be held indefinitely in hopes that a fallen price will recover.”(Updates USO closing price in paragraph 7, updates with USO signing Marex Spectron as new broker in paragraph 13.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • 5 Tips to Help You Become a Better Dividend Investor
    Zacks

    5 Tips to Help You Become a Better Dividend Investor

    5 Tips to Help You Become a Better Dividend Investor

  • Are Stocks Out of Control? What We Learned in May
    Bloomberg

    Are Stocks Out of Control? What We Learned in May

    (Bloomberg Opinion) -- The stock market is not the economy. Perhaps that’s never been as clear as during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Even as nations stare down the inevitability of long, deep recessions and unprecedented levels of unemployment, U.S. stocks as measured by the S&P 500 Index have rallied for two straight months after plunging in February and March.    There are a few reasons for optimism. First, there was the quick response by the government to pump trillions of dollars into the economy and financial system. And with the rate of new infections slowing, people are emerging from lockdowns into new socially-distanced economies. But the outlook is far from sunny. Covid-19 continues to kill thousands of people globally every day, there is no vaccine, and mandatory social-distancing rules (and fear) are contributing to what is forecast to be the worst recession since the Great Depression and squash corporate earnings for the foreseeable future. And that’s without accounting for a renewed worsening of U.S.-China tensions.Are stocks completely out of control? Bloomberg Opinion columnists have been pondering that very question:Jamie Dimon Captures the Stock Market Moment: “This is a recovery based so far on asset-price inflation rather than any economic data. Central bank and government action may have restored financial valuations but real incomes will still suffer dramatically for a long while to come … The stock market is looking even further into the distance than usual to justify its valuations, which is sometimes hard to square away against a constant stream of dire economic statistics and evaporating company earnings.” — Marcus AshworthFor Markets, It's the Economy's Direction That Matters: “It’s important to recognize that the magnitude of the weakness in the data is not driven by what we would think of as typical business cycle dynamics where a negative shock expands over time throughout the economy. Instead, we literally flipped a switch and told companies to close. You can’t feign surprise at layoffs in the leisure and hospitality sector when restaurants and entertainment venues are all shuttered overnight.” — Tim DuyOptions Market Signals a Dire Picture for Stocks: “The market prices of options play a vital role in informing market participants of what risks lie ahead, and given market efficiency, they often tell a reliable story. When viewed through the lens of options prices, the current equities rally appears tenuous.” — Alankar and ScholesWhat’s Keeping Stocks Afloat? The ‘Microsoft Market’: “No company has defied the pessimism more than Microsoft Corp., and for a lot of sensible reasons. The Seattle-based maker of global business and consumer software led all publicly traded companies most of the year with a $1.4 trillion market valuation.” — Matthew A. Winkler More ReadingStocks Have Reached a Tipping Point: John Authers Stock Prices Make Lofty Promises That Earnings Can’t Keep: Nir Kaissar Bank Stocks Are Either Cheap or Signal More Pain: Brian Chappatta All the Stocks Are the Same Now: Matt Levine Stock Traders Should Heed the Lessons of the 1930s: Gary ShillingThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Lara Williams manages Bloomberg Opinion's social media channels.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • How to limit your kids' screen time: Tech Support
    Yahoo Finance

    How to limit your kids' screen time: Tech Support

    Want to limit the time your kids are spending on their phones and game consoles? We've got you covered in this week's Tech Support.

  • CME (CME) Up 1.3% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?
    Zacks

    CME (CME) Up 1.3% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?

    CME (CME) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock? We take a look at earnings estimates for some clues.

  • Dow Jones Futures: Game Plan The Coronavirus Stock Market Rally; Tesla Leads 5 Stocks Looking To Blast Out Of 'Friend Zone'
    Investor's Business Daily

    Dow Jones Futures: Game Plan The Coronavirus Stock Market Rally; Tesla Leads 5 Stocks Looking To Blast Out Of 'Friend Zone'

    Last week's wild market action showed the need for a game plan. Tesla leads five top stocks looking to break out decisively from the "friend zone."

  • These stocks performed best in May as the market rally continued
    MarketWatch

    These stocks performed best in May as the market rally continued

    DEEP DIVE U.S. stocks rose in May, extending a rally that began after the coronavirus-crisis bottom in March. • The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) recovered from an earlier decline Friday, as President Trump discussed actions against China, to end the day with an 18-point decline.

  • Over 40 million people filed for unemployment since March — $1,200 stimulus checks are a mere Band-Aid for Americans
    MarketWatch

    Over 40 million people filed for unemployment since March — $1,200 stimulus checks are a mere Band-Aid for Americans

    Economic impact payments would cover less than half of the average family’s monthly expenses, a new study found.

  • TheStreet.com

    13 Best Stocks in the Nasdaq in May

    The best stocks in the Nasdaq in May were Mercadolibre, Splunk, Lululemon, eBay, Facebook, Zoom, Nvidia, and Regeneron. Check out the other stocks on the list.

  • Investor turns $100,000 into $2.2 million — now he’s banking on a cruise line to reach his early retirement goals
    MarketWatch

    Investor turns $100,000 into $2.2 million — now he’s banking on a cruise line to reach his early retirement goals

    The buy-and-hold approach to the stock market generally isn’t a celebrated strategy among Reddit’s “Wall Street Bets” bunch, but more than a few glasses are being raised for one member of the meme-making trading community who claims to have made an absolute killing in recent years.

  • 7 day-trading mistakes everyone makes but you can avoid
    MarketWatch

    7 day-trading mistakes everyone makes but you can avoid

    Many Americans, stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, are putting federal stimulus checks and other money into online stock trading. Several leading brokerage firms have reported a surge in new accounts since much of the U.S. went into lockdown in March, and the stock market’s sharp recovery since the March lows, coupled with recent steps to reopen the U.S. economy, only fuels these newcomers’ euphoria. Indeed, with zero-commissions, day trading seems like an easy way to make a quick buck.

  • Revoking Hong Kong’s special status is Trump’s ‘nuclear option’ that could trigger irrevocable U.S.-China split, analysts warn
    MarketWatch

    Revoking Hong Kong’s special status is Trump’s ‘nuclear option’ that could trigger irrevocable U.S.-China split, analysts warn

    Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared Hong Kong to be no longer autonomous from China Wednesday, a move that further increases U.S.-China tensions and could pave the way for changes to U.S. policy toward Hong Kong that could have massive ramifications for the Hong Kong, Chinese and American economies.

  • Tech conferences are going virtual, and it feels like Netflix content on demand
    MarketWatch

    Tech conferences are going virtual, and it feels like Netflix content on demand

    Such is the new world of tech conferences in the age of COVID-19. They’ve gone all-digital, like Build and GTC Digital, and may never be the same. Absent a vaccine, the days of thousands of people herded into hotel ballrooms and convention centers like cattle, sharing cabs and eating in cramped quarters, are gone.

  • Why the stock market right now is stronger than even the most bullish investors believe
    MarketWatch

    Why the stock market right now is stronger than even the most bullish investors believe

    The U.S. stock market is firing on all cylinders, and that’s bullish for its near-term prospects. The five largest U.S. stocks by market capitalization are grabbing attention, but their performance doesn’t tell the whole story. Concentration of market cap in five stocks is not a recent phenomenon, as is clear from the accompanying chart.

  • Don’t toss that junk mail in the recycling bin just yet — it might contain your stimulus check in the form of a prepaid debit card
    MarketWatch

    Don’t toss that junk mail in the recycling bin just yet — it might contain your stimulus check in the form of a prepaid debit card

    Don’t throw away that junk mail — or you might throw away your stimulus payment. The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service began sending out Economic Impact Payments as prepaid debit cards last week. Problem is, these Visa cards are being issued by MetaBank (the Treasury’s financial agent) and delivered in plain envelopes from Money Network Cardholder Services — neither of which is a familiar name for most of us.

  • Options 101 With TD Ameritrade's Shawn Cruz
    Benzinga

    Options 101 With TD Ameritrade's Shawn Cruz

    TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: AMTD) Trader Business Strategy Manager Shawn Cruz on May 29 presented an introduction to options at the virtual Benzinga Boot Camp.Here's what Cruz says investors with little or no knowledge of options need to understand.What Is An Option? Investors who hold shares of a public company own a fraction of the company.An option gives an investor the right to buy or sell a specified number of shares of a stock at a certain price -- known as the strike price -- before a certain date known as expiration. The cost of buying or selling an option is referred to as the premium.The total cost to enter one option contract is equal to the price of the option (premium) multiplied by the options multiplier, which is almost always 100. One option contract represents the right to buy or sell 100 shares of the underlying stock.An option is essentially a raincheck or coupon for a stock that can be redeemed up to a certain date regardless of the current market price, Cruz said. After the expiration date passes, the value of the option is "more or less null and void."Options typically have one of three functions for an average investor, he said: Generate additional income.Speculate on a stock's move.Hedge against an existing position by minimizing the downside.Call Vs. Put Options Anyone who owns a call option holds the right to buy the underlying stock at a certain price. The price of the contract will gain in value when the underlying stock increases in value.On the other hand, anyone who owns a put option holds the right to sell the underlying stock at a certain price. The price of the contract will gain in value when the underlying stock loses value.It is important to note the owner of a contract has the right to buy or sell the underlying stock at an agreed price, but not the obligation to do so. On the other hand, the seller of a contract has the obligation to buy or sell the underlying stock at the agreed-upon price.An options holder can also sell the contract itself in the options market at any point prior to expiration. If the option has no value because the trade went in the opposite direction, the contract will expire worthless and no action is required on the part of the investor.What Determines The Value Of An Option Finally, there are three factors that determine the price of an option, said Cruz: 1. Price of the underlying stock: typically expensive stocks have more expensive option premiums. 2. Time to maturity: a contract that expires in one week has less time to reach its target and is usually cheaper compared to an option that expires next month. 3. Implied volatility: this refers to how much price movement is expected by the market before the contract expires.Related Links:How JTrader's Joseph Gasperoni Finds Stocks To Trade Every DayBenzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Presents: From Bud to Bloom - Grow Your Business The Right WaySee more from Benzinga * Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Talks Working From Home, Fact-Checking Trump * Plant-Based Food Sales Up 90% In March: Report * Cramer Says Getting Over Coronavirus Crisis 'Not Enough' To Lift The Economy(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • The 1 Thing You Should Know Before You Buy Amazon
    Motley Fool

    The 1 Thing You Should Know Before You Buy Amazon

    Amazon is known for selling groceries, books, and movies -- but its cloud computing business is a key profit driver.

  • $10,000 Invested in These 5 Top Stocks Could Make You a Fortune in 10 Years
    Motley Fool

    $10,000 Invested in These 5 Top Stocks Could Make You a Fortune in 10 Years

    Even though the market has rebounded from the lows it hit earlier this year, there are still great long-term opportunities for investors who know where to look.

  • Barrons.com

    Why the Trump-Twitter Fight Could Mean A Summer of Worry for Tech Stocks

    A new executive order from President Trump has quickly restored last year’s big tech fear: regulation

  • GuruFocus.com

    US Indexes Close Mostly Higher on the Last Trading Day of May

    Nasdaq has a gain of 4.42% for the year Continue reading...

  • These Are The 5 Best Stocks To Buy And Watch Now
    Investor's Business Daily

    These Are The 5 Best Stocks To Buy And Watch Now

    Buying a stock is easy, but buying the right stock without a time-tested strategy is incredibly hard. So what are the best stocks to buy now or put on a watchlist?