The S&P 500 reached record highs, but the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) remained elevated near 20, indicating unusual market behavior where both stocks and fear gauge rise simultaneously. This suggests investors are hedging against risks like geopolitical tensions and oil prices, or are buying expensive call options in tech and semiconductor stocks expecting further gains. Notably, options activity in semiconductor ETFs and stocks like Marvell Technology shows strong bullish bets, keeping volatility prices high. This mixed signal points to cautious optimism with potential for near-term market pullbacks as volatility may eventually align with stock gains.
SK Hynix's options began trading in the U.S. with about 150,000 contracts by midday Tuesday, showing less excitement than expected despite a strong stock rally. The most popular trades were bearish call sales, possibly because leveraged single-stock ...
The Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL) surged nearly 293% year-to-date but recently fell about 30% in the last month, including a sharp 16% drop in one day. SOXL uses leverage to triple daily semiconductor index returns, but this also...
