In August of 2009, solar energy stocks reported disappointing earnings despite vast political pushes towards alternative energy sources, and a global cry for reduced dependence on foreign oil. JA Solar Holdings (JASO), ReneSola (SOL), First Solar (FSLR) and Ldk Solar Co Ltd (LDK) all disappointed investors and market analysts, with some companies- JA Solar Holdings, [...]

As earnings announcements begin pouring in, with some of the big guns preparing their statements this week, investors are wondering just what to expect.

When the DOW Industrial Market Index first closed over the 10,000 milestone in 1999, brokers on the trading floor celebrated with confetti, baseball caps and party hats. The significance of the event was not lost on brokers who remembered the day in 1973 when the industrial average closed above the 1,000 mark for a brief period during a sustained bear market. With the DOW inching toward 10,000 again (reaching the mark briefly in mid-October 2009), many individuals are wondering—what does the milestone mean in today’s market?

Buying and selling options is more complicated than doing the same with stocks. Options carry with them the added burden of needing to make a timely investment—wait too long, and the time premium slowly fades.