Pinterest, Inc. Class A (PINS)

We need Apple and Facebook to finish strong to show that there are some willing momentum chasers.

This is not an easy market right now, but the opportunities will eventually appear if we keep slogging away.

Here's why it's best to focus on a few names that interest you most or influence your portfolio, and not chase every report.

What would I do in this case? Here's the logical choice.

The price action is as good as it has been in well over two months for the visual discovery platform.

The answer is yes for one of the two stocks that sold off sharply due to forced liquidations by a big shareholder.

The stock of the social media platform has doubled in the last six months, but the future direction of the shares is a concern based on its chart.

Investing can be fun until it turns brutal for what seems to be no reason.

Microsoft owns a slew of assets that it could use to strengthen each business, and it could see strategic value in owning a popular consumer social media platform.

This is a highly desirable property that comes without a lot of headaches, but also a fitting price tag, and why Microsoft is watching.

If you look at the economy as between service and tech you find the old-guard being overrun.

There is a point where if longer-dated yields move high enough, defensive-minded investors will be drawn from equities to debt securities.

The technical signs for the e-commerce platform and visual discovery platform appear favorable.

This year has probably created long-term changes in the adoption curves for things such as e-commerce and gaming.

I'm not impressed by the markets' moves and they could easily foil even the best plans -- but here's how to position yourself.

There is little reason to anticipate a sustained bounce at this point, but there are positive aspects to the price action.

E-commerce advertising remains strong, and it looks like brand ad spend rebounded sharply as Q3 progressed.

I'd keep my eye on strength outside of earnings, and CRSR has been strong.

Let's review the charts and indicators.

Several sessions over the past 10 days have seen increased trading volume at the NYSE, but not the Nasdaq, and for the S&P 500, but not the Nasdaq Composite. Is this professional risk reduction?

Just take the three most obvious letters in FAANG -- Facebook, Apple, and Netflix -- they were all ideas from my children.

Traders have to know not only if one of their holdings is reporting, but also if an influential name in the sector is reporting.

I expect the indices will jump around again soon on news about fiscal stimulus.

Let's look at the three main ways stocks can go up, and which of those we're seeing in action right now.

They are the charts of the S&P 500 and U.S. dollar, and their patterns could influence most stocks, commodities and currencies.

The pockets of strong movement are very narrow right now.

When markets move lower, price action reveals names that institutions are reluctant to sell.