Paul Shread

Blow-out results from Juniper Networks (NASDAQ: JNPR) sent tech stocks surging on Friday even as blue chips were left behind on lingering financial worries. Juniper shares jumped 18% after the company beat estimates and raised guidance well above expectations, an encouraging report for a sector weighed down by slowdown fears. Rival Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) […]

Given the tough resistance the indexes were facing and the lack of upside buying pressure to signal a major bottom, today’s sell-off was painful but not surprising. Ideally, the bulls will regroup and put together the kind of forceful buying that would cement a bottom, but it’s hard to imagine what the impetus for that […]

Stocks plunged Thursday after falling home sales and rising jobless claims provided the latest evidence that credit market troubles are taking a toll on the real economy. Weak results from automakers also fueled the market’s worst sell-off in a month, and good news from a number of technology stocks did little to help that sector. […]

After a week of being led higher by financial stocks, the technology sector reclaimed the lead on Wednesday, rising 1% on strong results from EMC (NYSE: EMC) and AT&T (NYSE: T). EMC surged nearly 14% on a surprisingly strong quarter even as its VMware (NYSE: VMW) subsidiary slipped 2.6% on on another revenue warning. AT&T […]

The rally ran out of steam today, not surprising given the number of indexes facing major overhead resistance here. The Dow (first chart below) stopped just shy of 11,731-11,750, its March low and 2000 peak. If the index can clear that level, 12,000 looks possible. Support is 11,558, 11,500, 11,400 and 11,300. The S&P (second […]

EMC (NYSE: EMC) posted second-quarter results today that beat Wall Street estimates, but turmoil at the company’s VMware (NYSE: VMW) subsidiary figured prominently on the company’s conference call. EMC’s sales rose 18 percent from the year-ago quarter to $3.67 billion, and net income was up 13 percent to $377.5 million, or 18 cents a share, […]

The market’s resilience today was a big win for the bulls, not bad for a market that has shown little evidence of a major bottom. If the S&P (first chart below) can head higher from here, 1292 and 1304 will be big tests. Support is 1267, 1257, 1248, 1240 and 1234. The Dow (second chart) […]

Stocks rallied sharply Tuesday despite disappointing results from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) and SanDisk (NASDAQ: SNDK), as falling oil prices and signs of stability in the financial sector raised hopes that the worst of the year-long credit market crisis may be over. Even earnings misses from American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Merck […]

After struggling at their downtrend lines the last few days, the major indexes appear headed for their first big test since the rally began last week. Part of the problem for the bulls here is the lack of buying pressure that could cement a low. Without that, volatility, including a retest of the lows, remains […]

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) became the latest tech heavyweights to disappoint investors late Monday, as both issued guidance that was lower than Wall Street analysts were looking for. Along with after-hours earnings misses from American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Merck (NYSE: MRK), Wall Street appeared headed for another sell-off when stocks […]

Technology stocks played a game of follow the leader on Friday, and the leaders were mostly headed lower. Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) fell nearly 10% after missing earnings estimates, and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) lost 6% after lowering sales guidance. Along with another tough quarter for AMD (NYSE: AMD), the results raised fears that the year-long turmoil […]

In an important night for gauging the health of the economy and technology spending, IBM (NYSE: IBM) posted blow-out quarterly results late Thursday, but disappointing earnings reports from Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) raised fears that weakness may be spreading. IBM shares were little changed after hours despite posting second-quarter earnings of $1.98 […]