News on Options and Futures Markets

Stock futures drop on Greece fears, healthcare approval

2010-03-22T05:15:15Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures fell on Monday as the passage of sweeping healthcare reform and uncertainty over Greece's debt crisis revived investor risk aversion.</p><p>European leaders sent out conflicting signals over aid to Greece over the weekend, weighing on futures. Last week's surprise interest rate hike from Reuters) - Gary Gensler, who once supported market deregulation blamed for the recent financial meltdown, has been winning over members of Congress who had been skeptical of his ability to rein in Wall Street as the top U.S. futures r...

Banks lift stocks; Greece woes dent euro

2010-03-19T05:45:23Z

<div><p>LONDON (Reuters) - European shares rose modestly on Friday, lifted by gains in banking stocks, but concerns over Greece's large debt burden remained, keeping the euro on the back foot against the dollar.</p><p>The boost to banks came as Briti...

Stock futures in narrow range ahead of opening

2010-03-18T04:30:45Z

<div id="subtitle">Stock futures trading in narrow range ahead of unemployment, inflation reports</div><div><p>Stock futures are trading in a narrow range, a day after the Dow Jones industrial average rose to its highest level of the year.</p><p>Investors are heading into Thursday trading tentatively after Greece said it might nee...

Pros and Cons of Futures Trading For Stock Speculation

2010-03-14T22:56:32Z

Futures contracts were originally designed as hedging tools or ?insurances? for the trading of commodities like wheat. As the production of wheat takes a long time and prices may change for the better or worse during that year those wheat takes to grow to maturity, the buyer of the wheat can go into an agreement with the farmer to buy their wheat upon harvest at a price agreed upon right now. Such an agreement made sure that the buyer will always be able to buy those wheat exactly at the pric...

Summary Box: Options exchange CBOE plans IPO

2010-03-11T12:30:19Z

<div id="subtitle">Summary Box: Options exchange CBOE plans long-expected IPO of up to $300 million</div><div><p>LONG WAIT: The settlement of a nearly two-year legal dispute over payment for ownership rights with with the CME Group Inc. in August 2008 cleared the way for the CBOE's IPO.</p><p>TAKEOVER...

Options exchange CBOE files for $300 million IPO

2010-03-11T12:16:23Z

<div id="subtitle">Options exchange CBOE files for $300 million IPO as it converts from member-owned organization</div><div><p>The last major private exchange left in the U.S., the Chicago Board Options Exchange, filed for an initial public offering of up to $300 million Thursday.</p><p>The CBOE plans t...

Regulator Wall Street

2010-03-11T11:46:21Z

FILE - In this June 22, 2009 file photo, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Gary Gensler testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before the Wall Street is shown near the New York Stock Exchange. Stock futures fell slightly after the Labor Department said first-time claims for jobless benefits fell slightly less than expected.(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

CFTC, House chairman aim to fix swap reform law

2010-03-03T14:18:56Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A central Congressional player in financial reform legislation on Wednesday said he is willing to close a potential loophole that might allow big derivatives traders to avoid public scrutiny of their deals.</p><p>"I don't want to let the financial guys off the hook," House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson<...

New OTC swaps rules must apply to all: CFTC's Dunn

2010-03-02T13:33:06Z

<div><p>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress should not create blanket exemptions from new rules designed to make trading of over-the-counter derivatives more transparent, a commissioner on the top U.S. futures regulator said on Tuesday.</p><p>Michael Dunn said the Commodity Futures Trading Commission should b...

PNC Financial (PNC) lighting up the banking sector

2010-02-25T19:15:24Z

<div id="subtitle">Stock price has more than tripled during the past year</div><div><p>PNC Financial Services (NYSE: PNC, Stock Forum) has been on fire over the past year. Since tagging a 52-week nadir of $16.20 in March 2009, the shares of PNC have more than tripled, and are now exploring the $52.75 neighborhood. Although PNC is virtually breakeven for 2010, the shar...

Cantor to launch futures exchange for film buffs

2010-02-22T13:01:26Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Traders will soon be able to place possibly the surest bet around: the next James Cameron film.</p><p>Cantor Fitzgerald said on Monday it expects to launch an electronic futures exchange next month that would allow investors to bet on box office retur...

Got Gold Report: Gold, silver COT action best since 2009

2010-02-22T08:56:51Z

<div id="subtitle">Largest short sellers rushing to exit gold, silver short positions</div><div><p>HOUSTON – The largest of the largest traders of gold futures on the COMEX in New York continued to drastically reduce their net short exposure to both gold and silver futures according to data in the latest...

Golden opportunity for GLD?

2010-02-22T08:29:59Z

<div id="subtitle">Plenty of fuel left in the tank for a continued run higher</div><div><p>The recent rise in the U.S. dollar has been a bane for gold prices. In fact, the front-month gold futures contract has dropped nearly 6% since peaking in early December 2009. </p><p>Adding to the precious metal's malaise, concerns over the massive sovereign debt loads am...

Peltz fund value falls 18 percent after sales

2010-02-22T09:41:20Z

<div><p>CHICAGO (Reuters) - Billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz disclosed that the value of stocks held by his firm Trian Partners fell about 18 percent in the fourth quarter as the company sold stakes in several holdings.</...

Copper could be positioning itself to upstage gold

2010-02-22T10:12:41Z

<div id="subtitle">And China will play a huge role in doing so</div><div><p>The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognizable American icons in the world. And as she towers 305 feet above Ellis Island, what's Lady Liberty wearing? Copper - 60,000 pounds of it. Clearly, coppe...

CME buys 90 percent of DJ index unit for $607M

2010-02-22T10:16:45Z

<div id="subtitle">CME Group buys 90 percent of Dow Jones' index unit for $607 million</div><div><p>Dow Jones &amp; Co. is selling a 90 percent stake in its stock market index unit to exchange operator CME Group Inc. for $607.5 million, the companies announced Wednesday.</p><p...

Got Gold Report: COMEX Commercials covering gold shorts

2010-02-22T12:05:45Z

<div id="subtitle">Largest gold futures short sellers close over 25,000 contracts in one week</div><div><p>ATLANTA – The largest of the largest traders of gold futures on the COMEX in New York seemed to be in a hurry to reduce their net short positioning in th...

ICE staff under "strain" to regulate self: CFTC

2010-02-22T12:09:10Z

<div><p>NEW YORK (Reuters) - A review by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission found the IntercontinentalExchange Futures U.S. &lt;ICE.N&gt; compliance staff was under "notable strain" tha...