Nothing excites and excuses a journalist with opinions more than a volatile stock. Doesn't matter what your opinion is, there's always a change that proves it. Even better: any rapidly changing stock value has to be volatile, so if something is in the news it's probably supporting your position! When you see these claims, ask yourself: How many times has the stock changed in this manner over the last year? How is its current static valuation relative to its long run history? Is the stock in a period of rapid change where higher volatility is expected? Those won't tell you where the stock is headed but they should at least help remind you not to trust horoscopes.