The U.S. stock market has flipped higher, led by a surge in energy stocks. Among individual stocks making volatile moves are Chinese names Luokung Technology Corp (NASDAQ:LKCO) and MDJM Ltd (NASDAQ:MDJH), as well as alternative energy issue Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:CSIQ). Here's a quick look at what's moving the shares of LKCO, MDJH, and CSIQ.

LKCO Stock Plummets on M&A News

Luokung Technology stock is among the worst of the Nasdaq today, down 13.1% at $6.25, after the wireless software concern announced a deal to buy eMapgo Technologies for about $119 million, pending the firm's ability to raise the necessary funds. LKCO shares are pacing for their worst day since June, and have given up nearly 38% in August, pressured beneath their 10-day moving average.

The equity began trading on the Nasdaq in early January, and peaked at $98.39 shortly after its debut. The gains didn't last long, however, with LKCO bottoming at $4.95 in early June, and subsequently bumping up against resistance in the $10 area.

MDJH Stock Surges on Real Estate Contract

MDJM Ltd said it entered into a real estate contract with Taida Xincheng Real Estate Co, allowing the firm to be the primary real estate services agency for a project in Chengdu. As a result, MDJH is among the best stocks on the Nasdaq today, up 57% at $3.91, and earlier peaked at $6.17 -- more than double yesterday's close. What's more, it's pacing to be MDJH's best session ever.

The Chinese equity debuted on the Nasdaq at $4.75 in early January -- less than its initial public offering (IPO) price of $5 per share -- and peaked at $7.89 on Jan. 10. MDJH fell to a record low of $2 by mid-June, but today is pacing for its highest close in almost six months.

CSIQ Bounces on Cash Injection

Canadian Solar shares are up 2.2% at $23.05, after the company secured $120 million in financing for solar power projects in Brazil. CSIQ stock has been in a channel of higher lows since mid-2018, gaining more than 68% over the past year.

A short squeeze could help CSIQ on its next leg higher, too. Short interest represents 7.2% of the equity's total available float, and would take nearly a week to buy back, at the stock's average daily trading volume.

Three stocks to watch this morning because they're making big moves on the charts are Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARCI), Solid Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:SLDB), and Box Inc (NYSE:BOX). Let's jump right into the action and see how ARCI, SLDB, and BOX shares are trading early on.

ARCI is one of the biggest pre-market winners so far, set to open up 40.7% thanks to the company's announcement that it's seen "significant increases in orders in its recycling division." The stock has made several huge moves this year, including on Tuesday when it jumped to as high as $9.24, but closed at $4.02. Yesterday's close was $3.93, with the shares recently finding support at the 200-day moving average.

SLDB stock, meanwhile, is pacing for a sharp pullback, down 8.1% before the open. Sparking the losses was a downgrade to "sell" from "neutral" at Citigroup, which comes after the equity enjoyed an upgrade last week that had it at multi-month highs. As of Wednesday's close at $9.09, the security had lost more than three-fourths of its value in the past year.

Finally, BOX is getting crushed after the company's quarterly report. The cloud concern announced better-than-expected second-quarter results, but investors are more concerned with its weak outlook for 2020. In response, the shares are set to open down 7.7%, which would have them testing three-year-low territory.

BOX has already managed to make put traders nice profits, and now short sellers are getting in on the action. More specifically, short interest rose 7.8% in the past reporting period. And while most brokerages still have bullish ratings, Craig-Hallum this morning downgraded its rating to "hold" from "buy," and dropped its price target to $15 from $22.

Discount retailer Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR) stock has risen 3.4% this morning to trade at $103 -- looking to clock its fourth straight win -- after the firm shared second-quarter revenue and same-store sales that exceeded analysts' estimates. Dollar Tree also lifted its yearly forecast, though that doesn't assume the impact of increased tariffs on Chinese goods

Since its annual high atop the $113 region earlier this summer, the stock pulled back considerably, dipping back  below previous support at the 160-day moving average. Today, however, DLTR could topple this trendline for the first time in nearly a month. 

Analysts have yet to chime in after earnings. Prior to today, nine of the 16 brokerage firms in coverage called DLTR a "buy" or better, but the rest still say "hold." This leaves the door open for potential equity-boosting upgrades. What's more, the consensus 12-month price target of $111.81 is at a slim premium to current levels, suggesting price-target hikes could be in store. 

Options traders were quite bullish ahead of earnings, with almost three calls bought to open for every put during the last two weeks on the the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio sits in the 83rd percentile of its annual range, too, suggesting a healthier-than-usual appetite for long calls of late.

The semiconductor sector is probably the biggest benefactor to China's optimistic trade rhetoric this morning. Chip stocks are higher across the board, but let's take a look at three in particular: Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD), Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), and Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA).

At last check, Advanced Micro Devices stock was up 3.2% to trade at $31.77. The shares  -- now up 72% year-to-date -- found support at their 120-day trendline after a subsequent pullback from their Aug. 9 13-year high. Barring a dramatic pivot, AMD is heading for its third straight monthly win. 

Traders should consider speculating on AMD with options. The equity's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 51% sits higher than just 17% of all other readings from the past year, suggesting near-term options are attractively priced at the moment.

Looking at Micron, the stock was last seen up 3.1% to trade at $44,47, extending its 2019 gains to 40%. MU also pulled back amid the Huawei headwinds earlier this month, but still is cruising toward its third straight monthly gain. However, the shares found a floor at their 50-day moving average.

The good news for options buyers is that Micron's SVI is perched at 42% and registers in the 19th percentile of its annual range. This indicates the equity's front-month at-the-money options have priced in lower volatility expectations just 19% of the time over the last year.

Last, there's Nvidia, up 3.6% to trade at $167. Nvidia is up a paltry 20% year-to-date compared to its two peers above, with the $175 level turning away an earnings-induced rally two weeks ago. Thanks to today though, NVDA is back in the black for August, in what would be its third straight monthly win.

Like its peers, implied volatilities on the equity are at low levels. NVDA's SVI of 41% registers in the 20th percentile of its annual range. Plus, the chipmaker has certainly been an attractive target for those buying premium during the past year, in the sense that it's made bigger moves than what the options market was pricing in. This is according to the security's elevated Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) reading of 96 out of a possible 100.

RBC downgraded Casey's General Stores Inc (NASDAQ:CASY) stock to "underperform" from "sector perform," with the analyst in coverage expressing concern over valuation, and saying the Iowa-based convenience store chain is facing headwinds from the farm economy and increasing competition. Following CASY stock's long-term climb up the charts, though, the brokerage firm raised its price target to $158 from $144 -- still a stiff discount to last night's close at $170.56.

Casey's General Stores shares dipped out of the gate, but were last seen up 0.3% at $171.02. The stock has surged more than 33% since a late-May bounce off its 200-day moving average, and topped out at a record high of $173.31 on Aug. 20. The equity has consolidated some of these gains, but appears to have found a foothold near $168 -- home to its previous highs.

In spite of this impressive price action, most analysts echo RBC's skepticism, with six of nine brokerages maintaining a "hold" or worse recommendation. Plus, the average 12-month price target of $159.10 represents expected downside of 7% to CASY stock's current perch.

The pessimism is seen elsewhere, too, with short interest up 35% in the two most recent reporting periods. Casey's General Stores stock's ability to rally in the face of such intense selling pressure speaks to its underlying strength. Plus, it would take shorts more than four days to buy back their bearish bets, at the average pace of trading, pointing to sideline cash available to keep the wind at CASY's back.

Another positive earnings reaction could shake some of the weaker bearish hands loose. Casey's General Stores' quarterly results are due out after the market closes on Monday, Sept. 9, and the stock has closed higher after earnings in seven of the last eight quarters.

Next week will be short -- with markets closed on Monday in observance of Labor Day -- but packed to the gills with economic data and Fed speeches. Several Fed presidents -- including John Williams, James Bullard, and Charles Evans -- will take the stage. Elsewhere, Wall Street will digest reports on manufacturing activity, and the week will culminate in the highly anticipated nonfarm payrolls report for August. Lululemon Athletica (LULU) and Slack (WORK) will highlight a relatively muted earnings week. 

Below is a brief list of some key market events scheduled for the upcoming week. All earnings dates listed below are tentative and subject to change. Please check with each company's respective website for official reporting dates.

Markets will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 2.

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, markets will reopen with the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing index, Markit's purchasing managers manufacturing index (PMI), and data on construction spending all set for release. Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren will speak after the close. There are no notable earnings scheduled for release.

International trade data and the Fed's Beige Book are due out on Wednesday, Sept. 4. Speeches from New York Fed President John Williams, Fed Governor Michelle Bowman, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard, and Chicago Fed President Charles Evans will trickle in throughout the day. Earnings from American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), Michaels Stores (MIK), Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Pivotal Software (PVTL), and Slack (WORK) are on the docket. 

Thursday, Sept. 5, is packed with economic reports, including the Fed balance sheet, weekly jobless claims, the ADP employment report, the ISM non-manufacturing index, as well as data on crude inventories, factory orders, and productivity and costs. Traders can expect quarterly reports from Ciena (CIEN), CrowdStrike (CRWD), DocuSign (DOCU), Kirklands (KIRK), Lands' End (LE), lululemon athletica (LULU), Signet Jewelers (SIG), Zoom Video (ZM), and Zumiez (ZUMZ). 

August payrolls data will cap the week on Friday, Sept. 6. National Beverage (FIZZ) will step into the earnings confessional.

Trade headlines are driving stocks higher today. Among individual names making notable moves are iPhone maker Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), cloud concern Nutanix Inc (NASDAQ:NTNX), and U.K. software firm Micro Focus International PLC (NYSE:MFGP). Here's a quick look at what's moving the shares of AAPL, NTNX, and MFGP.

Apple's September Event Expected to Feature New iPhones

Apple stock is trading up 1.5% at $208.64, after the tech giant said it will host an event on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Buzz is already building as to what AAPL will reveal at its September event, with reports pointing to new iPhone models and more details for Apple TV+. Upbeat U.S.-China trade news is creating tailwinds for Apple, too, putting the shares on track for a big weekly gain -- up 3% so far from last Friday's close.

Options traders are positioned for a short-term pullback. The September 200 put is home to peak front-month open interest of more than 36,000 contracts. Data from the major options exchanges confirms notable buy-to-open activity here, meaning speculators expect a retreat below $200 over the next few weeks. Considering AAPL stock is up 32% year-to-date, it's possible some of this put buying is protective.

Nutanix Options Volume Spikes After Earnings

Nutanix stock is up 28.9% at $25.24 -- pacing for its biggest one-day percentage gain ever -- after the data storage specialist reported a slimmer-than-expected adjusted fiscal fourth-quarter loss of 57 cents per share. Additionally, Chief Financial Officer Duston Williams said the company's shift to a subscription model is running "ahead of schedule."    

While Jefferies is optimistic toward this shift, the brokerage firm cut its NTNX price target to $34 from $40 on concerns over rising sales and marketing costs. Baird also slashed its Nutanix price target, to $29 from $41.

Options traders have been quick to react after Nutanix's earnings report, with nearly 39,000 contracts on the tape so far -- eight times the average intraday amount. The weekly 8/30 25-strike and October 30 calls are most active, and it looks like new positions are being purchased here as speculators bet on bigger gains for the stock.

Revenue Warnings Sinks Micro Focus Shares

Micro Focus International lowered its full-year revenue guidance, with CEO Stephen Murdoch saying the company will undergo a strategic review. In reaction, the shares are down 32.6% at $12.72 -- slicing through the $18-$19 region that had served as support since mid-July, and hitting a record low of $12.63 earlier.

Short sellers are likely cheering this latest slide. Short interest on MFGP climbed 22.6% in the last two reporting periods to 1.68 million shares -- the most since mid-January. These bears are sidelined today, though, with Micro Focus stock landing on the short-sale restricted list.

A big earnings winner this morning is Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB), with the packaged food titan reporting adjusted fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that topped estimates. Net sales rose by 2%, as well, while gross margin increased to 34% from 31.4%. The company cited cost-cutting, and a better focus on its mainstream businesses as reasons for the strong quarterly report.

This has Campbell Soup stock up 5.7% to trade at $45.80 this morning, earlier nabbing a fresh annual high of $45.80. CPB rode an earnings-induced bull gap to new heights back in early June, and was trading near these former highs heading into today after a big bounce off its 40-day moving average.

No bull notes have come through on CPB yet, despite the blowout report. The stock certainly seems overdue for upbeat analyst attention, which could help push the security even higher. While all seven of the brokerages in coverage rate Campbell Soup a "hold" or worse, the consensus 12-month price target sits at $39.57, a discount to current trading levels.

A short squeeze could also fuel additional gains. Short interest sits at its highest point since early May, and accounts for 13.2% of CPB's total available float. At the stock's average pace of trading, it would take shorts more than 10 days to buy back their bearish bets. This is an ample amount of buying power that could boost the stock.

Makeup retailer Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ:ULTA) has taken a nosedive today, after the firm reported second-quarter earnings and revenue below analysts' estimates. The firm also slashed it full-year same-store sales and profit forecast, citing ebbing demand for the cosmetics market. ULTA stock, at last check, is down 24.9% at $254 -- on course for its biggest one-day loss on record. 

The plummet has the equity trading back near its January lows, and just atop its year-to-date breakeven. After hitting an all-time high of $368.83 in late July, the security pulled back to test its footing atop the $320 level -- home to its 200-day moving average. Today, however, ULTA stock is set to breach this trendline for the first time in eight months.

The dramatic dip has analysts running in with bear notes. Morgan Stanley downgraded the shares to "equal weight," and more could be on the horizon, considering the 13 "buy" or better ratings on the table, compared to only four "holds." So far, at least 11 analysts have slashed their price targets on ULTA, including Stifel, which cut its target to a Street low of $250.

Short sellers are likely cheering today's dismal earnings reaction, though ULTA is on the short-sale restricted list. These pessimistic positions surged roughly 20% in the last reporting period. The 3.37 million shares sold short represent 6% of the stock's available float. 

Options bulls, on the other hand, could be in for a shock, with ULTA sporting a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 1.5 on the the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio sits in the 85th percentile of its annual range, too, suggesting an uptick in bullish bets ahead of ULTA's earnings report.

However, one point of potential consolation for ULTA longs: the stock tends to shine in September. In fact, Ulta Beauty has been the best S&P 500 stock to own in the month of September, looking back 10 years. More specifically, the stock has gained 13.2%, on average, and has ended higher 90% of the time, per data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White.

Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:DELL) stock is soaring today, after the PC maker reported adjusted second-quarter earnings of $2.15 per share on $23.45 billion in revenue -- more than analysts were expecting. The company cited increased desktop demand, as well as "higher-margin dollars" brought in by profitable contracts for its server unit in China.

Initial analyst reaction has been mixed. While price-target hikes have come through from Raymond James (to $62) and Credit Suisse (to $61), the latter expressed concern over aggressive pricing in the second half. Elsewhere, UBS cut its DELL price target to $51 from $67.

More broadly speaking, analysts are upbeat toward Dell Technologies. Prior to today, nine brokerages maintained a "buy" or better rating, compared to four "holds," and not a single "sell." Meanwhile, the average 12-month price target of $64.96 is a 24% premium to current levels.

The optimism has been seen in the options pits, too, where speculators at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) bought to open 5.23 calls for each put over the past 10 days. This call-skewed trading is continuing today, with roughly 9,500 calls and 4,000 puts on the tape so far, four times what's typically seen at this point.

Looking at the charts, DELL stock was last seen trading up 12.5% at $52.59, headed toward its highest close since Aug. 2, and its biggest one-day percentage gain since it returned to the public market last December. The shares are still down 25% from their mid-May peak above $70, and tagged a seven-month low of $44.35 on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

Shares of dollar store retailer Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:DG) are inching their way higher this morning, as the company relishes in yesterday morning's second-quarter earnings beat. No fewer than nine analysts have handed out fresh bull notes since yesterday's close. Giving the highest praise so far is a price-target hike to $180 from $146 out of Raymond James, which was accompanied by an "outperform" rating. At last check, DG was trading 1.4% higher at $158.06, earlier touching a fresh record high of $158.89. 

Overall analysts have been wildly optimistic when it comes to Dollar General stock. Coming into today, 15 of 19 carry a "buy" or "strong buy" rating. However, the security may have been ripe for price-target hikes, as its average 12-month price target of $160.27 runs in-line with current trading levels.

The optimistic sentiment is also evident in the options pits. Data from the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) shows DG with a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 2.09, ranking in the 85th annual percentile. In other terms, two calls have been purchased for every put over the past two weeks of trading.

Apart from this morning's impressive bull gap to record highs, Dollar General stock has been climbing the charts for quite some time. The 160-day moving average has been a long-term mode of support, guiding the shares to its now 46% year-to-date lead.

 

Healthcare stocks Paratek Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:PRTK) and Akari Therapeutics PLC (NASDAQ:AKTX) both made headlines with strong moves out of the gate. Let's take a moment and check out how the shares of PRTK and AKTX are trading. 

PRTK was last seen trading up 5.6% at $3.58, thanks to positive data around the company's skin infection treatment Nuzyra. This move does little to help the stock from a longer term perspective, since it was trading in double-digit territory this time last year, and has been trending lower since then, hitting an all-time low of $2.87 at the start of August.

Amazingly, analysts are overwhelmingly bullish on the shares, with eight of nine in coverage handing out "strong buy" recommendations. However, short interest remains high, and these bears may be hedging with call options, since the Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.05 ranks in the bottom annual percentile -- show a very unusual call-skew among short-term speculators.

As for AKTX, the shares are up 12% at $2.16, after the company said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted "orphan drug" status to nomacopan, a treatment for a rare clotting condition. Still, Akari has been weak longer term, struggling since its breakout to $9.20 in March. In fact, the shares have spent more of the past year hovering near the $2 mark.

As for sentiment, there are just two analysts covering AKTX, and both recommend buying the shares. Their average 12-month price target is $7.50.