Podcasts about option pit

In this episode of Volatility Views, Russell Rhoads takes over hosting duties for Mark Longo. He is joined by Hans Albrecht from Option Pit. The discussion delves into the current state of the VIX, with insights into trading strategies, gamma, and the importance of understanding volatility products. Hans shares his experience with trading on the floor in Toronto and Montreal, comparing it to the trading environment in the U.S. The episode also covers various trades and positions in VIX options and ETPs, including strategies like call spreads and the challenges of trading in a high-volatility environment. The show concludes with predictions for the VIX in the coming week and a reflection on the late Alex Jacobson's contributions to the options trading community.   01:01 Welcome to Volatility Views 02:49 Hans' Background and Market Experience 08:42 Discussion on Volatility and Market Trends 10:33 VIX and Futures Curve Analysis 14:12 Market Sentiment and Economic Indicators 29:11 Market Overview and Options Activity 31:05 Weekly VIX Options Recap 31:56 Top VIX Positions Analysis 35:29 Weekly Rundown and Trade Insights 45:32 VIX ETPs Discussion 51:17 Volatility Voicemail and Predictions 56:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

In this episode of Volatility Views, Russell Rhoads takes over hosting duties for Mark Longo. He is joined by Hans Albrecht from Option Pit. The discussion delves into the current state of the VIX, with insights into trading strategies, gamma, and the importance of understanding volatility products. Hans shares his experience with trading on the floor in Toronto and Montreal, comparing it to the trading environment in the U.S. The episode also covers various trades and positions in VIX options and ETPs, including strategies like call spreads and the challenges of trading in a high-volatility environment. The show concludes with predictions for the VIX in the coming week and a reflection on the late Alex Jacobson's contributions to the options trading community.   01:01 Welcome to Volatility Views 02:49 Hans' Background and Market Experience 08:42 Discussion on Volatility and Market Trends 10:33 VIX and Futures Curve Analysis 14:12 Market Sentiment and Economic Indicators 29:11 Market Overview and Options Activity 31:05 Weekly VIX Options Recap 31:56 Top VIX Positions Analysis 35:29 Weekly Rundown and Trade Insights 45:32 VIX ETPs Discussion 51:17 Volatility Voicemail and Predictions 56:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts  

In this episode of the Option Block, host Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management and the Rock Lobster, Andrew Giovinazzi from The Option Pit. They analyze the unprecedented market moves and volatility driven by the global trade war and other economic factors. Discussions include the record-breaking options volumes, unusual options activity in United Wholesale Mortgage and Primo Brands Corp, and active and passive hedging strategies. Listeners also get to enjoy some fun segments like the 80s trivia challenge and a deep dive into trading activity with time-sensitive examples of strikes and premiums.   00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 01:07 Welcome to the Option Block 01:55 Market Madness and Weekend Recap 03:49 80s Trivia Challenge 06:28 Trading Block: Market Analysis and Trends 12:58 Wild Times in the Options Market 28:47 Market Sentiment and Alphabet's Wild Day 29:54 Intel's Rollercoaster Week 30:47 Alibaba and the Impact of Tariffs 31:26 AMD's Volatile Performance 32:04 Palantir's Surprising Upswing 33:08 Bitcoin and the Monster's Market Madness 33:32 Amazon and Apple Under Pressure 35:14 Tesla's Turbulent Times 36:04 Nvidia's Market Dominance 37:43 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity in UWMC and PRMB 46:20 Strategy Block: Hedging Techniques 51:14 Around the Block: Market Watch  

In this episode of the Option Block, host Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management and the Rock Lobster, Andrew Giovinazzi from The Option Pit. They analyze the unprecedented market moves and volatility driven by the global trade war and other economic factors. Discussions include the record-breaking options volumes, unusual options activity in United Wholesale Mortgage and Primo Brands Corp, and active and passive hedging strategies. Listeners also get to enjoy some fun segments like the 80s trivia challenge and a deep dive into trading activity with time-sensitive examples of strikes and premiums.   00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 01:07 Welcome to the Option Block 01:55 Market Madness and Weekend Recap 03:49 80s Trivia Challenge 06:28 Trading Block: Market Analysis and Trends 12:58 Wild Times in the Options Market 28:47 Market Sentiment and Alphabet's Wild Day 29:54 Intel's Rollercoaster Week 30:47 Alibaba and the Impact of Tariffs 31:26 AMD's Volatile Performance 32:04 Palantir's Surprising Upswing 33:08 Bitcoin and the Monster's Market Madness 33:32 Amazon and Apple Under Pressure 35:14 Tesla's Turbulent Times 36:04 Nvidia's Market Dominance 37:43 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity in UWMC and PRMB 46:20 Strategy Block: Hedging Techniques 51:14 Around the Block: Market Watch  

Join host Mark Longo and the All-Star panel, including Mike Tosaw (Uncle Mike from St. Charles Wealth Management) and Andrew Giovinazzi (The Rock Lobster from The Option Pit), as they kick off another options trading week. The episode delves into recent market activities, from unusual option trades and volatility trends to strategic reallocations and market sentiment. They discuss the impact of geopolitical events and trade policies, explore intriguing options trades – from the mighty Wolfspeed to Dynatrace and beyond – and answer listener questions about trading strategies and stock levels. The show also features a lively 80s trivia challenge and interactive polls for audience engagement.   00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 01:27 Meet the Hosts and Kickoff 01:56 Monday Market Recap and Trivia Challenge 06:33 Market Analysis and Trading Insights 09:37 Options Trading Trends and Strategies 13:54 Market Reactions and Predictions 20:30 Single Stock Analysis and Activity 29:36 Exploring the April 60 Puts 30:18 Palantir and Amazon Stock Analysis 31:09 Tesla's Wild Ride 32:32 Nvidia Reclaims the Throne 33:52 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity 34:33 The Rise and Fall of Wolfspeed 41:13 Dynatrace and Evolve Holdings Analysis 46:09 Strategy Block: Reallocation Tips 50:03 Around the Block: Market Watch  

Join host Mark Longo and the All-Star panel, including Mike Tosaw (Uncle Mike from St. Charles Wealth Management) and Andrew Giovinazzi (The Rock Lobster from The Option Pit), as they kick off another options trading week. The episode delves into recent market activities, from unusual option trades and volatility trends to strategic reallocations and market sentiment. They discuss the impact of geopolitical events and trade policies, explore intriguing options trades – from the mighty Wolfspeed to Dynatrace and beyond – and answer listener questions about trading strategies and stock levels. The show also features a lively 80s trivia challenge and interactive polls for audience engagement.   00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 01:27 Meet the Hosts and Kickoff 01:56 Monday Market Recap and Trivia Challenge 06:33 Market Analysis and Trading Insights 09:37 Options Trading Trends and Strategies 13:54 Market Reactions and Predictions 20:30 Single Stock Analysis and Activity 29:36 Exploring the April 60 Puts 30:18 Palantir and Amazon Stock Analysis 31:09 Tesla's Wild Ride 32:32 Nvidia Reclaims the Throne 33:52 Odd Block: Unusual Options Activity 34:33 The Rise and Fall of Wolfspeed 41:13 Dynatrace and Evolve Holdings Analysis 46:09 Strategy Block: Reallocation Tips 50:03 Around the Block: Market Watch  

In this episode, Mark Longo, along with Mark Sebastian of The Option Pit and Russell Rhoads from the Kelley School of Business - Indiana University, discuss market volatility with a focus on VIX products, the significance of recent trades, and broader market movements. The show delves into the peculiar behavior of VIX options, examining notable trades like the April 20 calls and April 20-30 verticals. Listeners are also introduced to the new VYLD product and its performance. A humorous segment highlights contradictory VIX articles from Market Watch. The program concludes with listener questions and forecasts for the following week.   01:05 Welcome to Volatility Views 01:51 Market Recap and Volatility Insights 02:31 Special Guests and Announcements 05:02 Volatility Review 06:53 Volatility Trading Strategies 10:40 VIX Futures and Market Predictions 16:49 VIX Options Analysis 21:23 Russell's Weekly Rundown 30:56 Audience Poll: April 2030s vs. Straight 20 Twos 31:08 Market Performance and Audience Preferences 32:12 Contract Activity and Strike Chain Analysis 32:57 VIX Options and Trading Strategies 35:36 Inverse Volatility Products: SVIX and VYLD 41:44 Levered Volatility: UUVIX and UVXY 48:49 Volatility Voicemail: Listener Questions 49:45 Market Watch VIX Nonsense 53:26 Crystal Ball Predictions 56:47 Show Wrap-Up and Announcements  

In this episode, Mark Longo, along with Mark Sebastian of The Option Pit and Russell Rhoads from the Kelley School of Business - Indiana University, discuss market volatility with a focus on VIX products, the significance of recent trades, and broader market movements. The show delves into the peculiar behavior of VIX options, examining notable trades like the April 20 calls and April 20-30 verticals. Listeners are also introduced to the new VYLD product and its performance. A humorous segment highlights contradictory VIX articles from Market Watch. The program concludes with listener questions and forecasts for the following week.   01:05 Welcome to Volatility Views 01:51 Market Recap and Volatility Insights 02:31 Special Guests and Announcements 05:02 Volatility Review 06:53 Volatility Trading Strategies 10:40 VIX Futures and Market Predictions 16:49 VIX Options Analysis 21:23 Russell's Weekly Rundown 30:56 Audience Poll: April 2030s vs. Straight 20 Twos 31:08 Market Performance and Audience Preferences 32:12 Contract Activity and Strike Chain Analysis 32:57 VIX Options and Trading Strategies 35:36 Inverse Volatility Products: SVIX and VYLD 41:44 Levered Volatility: UUVIX and UVXY 48:49 Volatility Voicemail: Listener Questions 49:45 Market Watch VIX Nonsense 53:26 Crystal Ball Predictions 56:47 Show Wrap-Up and Announcements  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets Review the most active equity options for the day including SMCI Examine the latest unusual options activity in BAX, GDRX Talk about 2025 as the year of collar 24-hour trading And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets Review the most active equity options for the day including SMCI Examine the latest unusual options activity in BAX, GDRX Talk about 2025 as the year of collar 24-hour trading And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets including tariffs Talk about the most active equity options for the day including UBER Review earning volatility in MNDY, MCD, LYFT, DASH, HOOD, DKNG Examine the latest unusual options activity in BBAI, IBN Look at shifting your risk using options And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets including tariffs Talk about the most active equity options for the day including UBER Review earning volatility in MNDY, MCD, LYFT, DASH, HOOD, DKNG Examine the latest unusual options activity in BBAI, IBN Look at shifting your risk using options And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets including VIX, PTLO Talk about the most active equity options for the day including NVDA Examine the latest unusual options activity in IVZ, MPLX, BMBL Look at selling puts when the market is down Ask if DeepSeek is the canary in the coalmine for the end of the AI boom And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets including VIX, PTLO Talk about the most active equity options for the day including NVDA Examine the latest unusual options activity in IVZ, MPLX, BMBL Look at selling puts when the market is down Ask if DeepSeek is the canary in the coalmine for the end of the AI boom And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets including VIX Talk about the most active equity options for the day including DJT, AAPL Examine the latest unusual options activity in PTON Hedging strategies And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Discuss the latest in the markets including VIX Talk about the most active equity options for the day including DJT, AAPL Examine the latest unusual options activity in PTON Hedging strategies And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Crown our 80's trivia winner for 2024 Discuss the latest in the markets Talk about the most active equity options for the day including FUBO Look at the options volume for December and all of 2024 Examine the latest unusual options activity in CPNG, WBD And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

We're back with another episode of The Option Block. On this episode, we: Crown our 80's trivia winner for 2024 Discuss the latest in the markets Talk about the most active equity options for the day including FUBO Look at the options volume for December and all of 2024 Examine the latest unusual options activity in CPNG, WBD And much more With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit  

Mark Sebastian, founder of Option Pit, and CIO of Karman Line Capital, joins BNN Bloomberg for Market Call.

We're back with another episode of The Option Block brought to you by Public.   Live from The Option Pit Conference, we break down whether the markets and particularly VIX were impacted by the events of this weekend. We discuss the most active equity options for the day including AVGO, MARA, PLTR, NKE, CRWD. We also look at unusual options activity in SOUN, PTON. And, Uncle Mike Tosaw finally gets his prize from last year's 80s wrestling contest.   With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit Mark "The Greasy Meatball" Sebastian, The Option Pit "Dr. VIX" Russell Rhoads, Kelley School of Business - Indiana University "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Options are not suitable for all investors and carry significant risk.  Option investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date.  Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk.  There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Prior to buying or selling an option, investors must read and understand the “Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options”, also known as the options disclosure document (ODD) which can be found at: www.theocc.com/company-information/documents-and-archives/options-disclosure-document Supporting documentation for any claims will be furnished upon request. If you are enrolled in our Options Order Flow Rebate Program, The exact rebate will depend on the specifics of each transaction and will be previewed for you prior to submitting each trade. This rebate will be deducted from your cost to place the trade and will be reflected on your trade confirmation. Order flow rebates are not available for non-options transactions. To learn more, see our Fee Schedule, Order Flow Rebate FAQ, and Order Flow Rebate Program Terms & Conditions. Options can be risky and are not suitable for all investors. See the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options to learn more. All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

We're back with another episode of The Option Block brought to you by Public.   Live from The Option Pit Conference, we break down whether the markets and particularly VIX were impacted by the events of this weekend. We discuss the most active equity options for the day including AVGO, MARA, PLTR, NKE, CRWD. We also look at unusual options activity in SOUN, PTON. And, Uncle Mike Tosaw finally gets his prize from last year's 80s wrestling contest.   With your hosts: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Media Group Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, The Option Pit Mark "The Greasy Meatball" Sebastian, The Option Pit "Dr. VIX Russell Rhoads, Kelley School of Business - Indiana University "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management Options are not suitable for all investors and carry significant risk.  Option investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date.  Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk.  There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Prior to buying or selling an option, investors must read and understand the “Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options”, also known as the options disclosure document (ODD) which can be found at: www.theocc.com/company-information/documents-and-archives/options-disclosure-document Supporting documentation for any claims will be furnished upon request. If you are enrolled in our Options Order Flow Rebate Program, The exact rebate will depend on the specifics of each transaction and will be previewed for you prior to submitting each trade. This rebate will be deducted from your cost to place the trade and will be reflected on your trade confirmation. Order flow rebates are not available for non-options transactions. To learn more, see our Fee Schedule, Order Flow Rebate FAQ, and Order Flow Rebate Program Terms & Conditions. Options can be risky and are not suitable for all investors. See the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options to learn more. All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Open to the Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. See public.com/#disclosures-main for more information.

HOST: MARK LONGO, THE OPTIONS INSIDER MEDIA GROUP CO-HOST: MARK SEBASTIAN, THE OPTION PIT CO-HOST: MIKE TOSAW, ST. CHARLES WEALTH MANAGEMENT CO-HOST: ANDREW GIOVINAZZI, THE OPTION PIT IN THIS EPISODE MARK, THE GREASY MEATBALL, UNCLE MIKE, AND THE ROCK LOBSTER BREAK DOWN: THE LATEST IN THE OPTIONS MARKETS MOST ACTIVE EQUITY OPTIONS TODAY INCL UBER UNUSUAL OPTIONS ACTIVITY IN SHOP, HST OPTIONS AND TAXES WHAT'S ON OUR RADAR FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND AND MUCH MORE

HOST: MARK LONGO, THE OPTIONS INSIDER MEDIA GROUP CO-HOST: MARK SEBASTIAN, THE OPTION PIT CO-HOST: MIKE TOSAW, ST. CHARLES WEALTH MANAGEMENT CO-HOST: ANDREW GIOVINAZZI, THE OPTION PIT IN THIS EPISODE MARK, THE GREASY MEATBALL, UNCLE MIKE, AND THE ROCK LOBSTER BREAK DOWN: THE LATEST IN THE OPTIONS MARKETS MOST ACTIVE EQUITY OPTIONS TODAY INCL UBER UNUSUAL OPTIONS ACTIVITY IN SHOP, HST OPTIONS AND TAXES WHAT'S ON OUR RADAR FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND AND MUCH MORE

On this episode, Mark is joined by Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi from Option Pit to discuss: The volatility spike, and sudden reversal, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  The top volatility trades, trends and unusual activity from this trading week.  The sultriness of Morgan Fairchild and much more... Don't forget to submit your guess for the Crystal Ball segment for a chance to win fabulous prizes..

On this episode, Mark is joined by Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi from Option Pit to discuss: The volatility spike, and sudden reversal, from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  The top volatility trades, trends and unusual activity from this trading week.  The sultriness of Morgan Fairchild and much more... Don't forget to submit your guess for the Crystal Ball segment for a chance to win fabulous prizes..

Host Joe Burgoyne welcomes back OIC instructor Peter Lusk as he wraps up his illustrious career in the options industry with a discussion about the Bull Call Spread. Then, on Profiles & Perspectives, Joe interviews Andrew Giovinazzi, COO at the Option Pit.

Host Joe Burgoyne welcomes back OIC instructor Peter Lusk as he wraps up his illustrious career in the options industry with a discussion about the Bull Call Spread. Then, on Profiles & Perspectives, Joe interviews Andrew Giovinazzi, COO at the Option Pit.  

This week - big ideas, picks, and predictions with Mark Sebastian, CBOE Market Maker and founder of Option Pit. Hear why hedge funds and RIAs turn to Mark for counsel, and what keeps 33 thousand people checking their emails for his Idea of the Week.

Featuring special guests Kevin "Lex" Luthringshausen, and Matt "Tubby" Benson. Trading Block: What is the Pro Trader Summit? VIX is back in the single digits. Memories of trading floor days. Mega Live Mail Block: What's your favorite ETP? Questions from the audience. Question from Ryan Staddon - Any chance you could give me some information on how to or most effectively short ECB n feds QE programes or bond markets?? Question from ISU - Question for the option block: Let's say you're short naked a bunch of puts and the trade goes against you, and you don't have the money to pony up? What can your broker do? Question from Matthew - Where do you source your Unusual Options Activity data from? We use TOS Option Hacker which is OK but you are getting the spreads in the Activities - would love to know how or where you get that level of data Many thanks, Matthew Question from Tim - Why isn't it standard or maybe required to let people close out shorts for free below $.10?

Featuring special guests Kevin "Lex" Luthringshausen, and Matt "Tubby" Benson. Trading Block: What is the Pro Trader Summit? VIX is back in the single digits. Memories of trading floor days. Mega Live Mail Block: What's your favorite ETP? Questions from the audience. Question from Ryan Staddon - Any chance you could give me some information on how to or most effectively short ECB n feds QE programes or bond markets?? Question from ISU - Question for the option block: Let's say you're short naked a bunch of puts and the trade goes against you, and you don't have the money to pony up? What can your broker do? Question from Matthew - Where do you source your Unusual Options Activity data from? We use TOS Option Hacker which is OK but you are getting the spreads in the Activities - would love to know how or where you get that level of data Many thanks, Matthew Question from Tim - Why isn't it standard or maybe required to let people close out shorts for free below $.10?

Today, Brian and Mark take a look at back at episode 96 with Mark Sebastian from Option Pit. They discuss: What was the setup at the time for AMZN? What position did we create? What was the net cost? What was the outlook? What does Mark Sebastian think of the trade? What would Mark do?

Today, Brian and Mark take a look at back at episode 96 with Mark Sebastian from Option Pit. They discuss: What was the setup at the time for AMZN? What position did we create? What was the net cost? What was the outlook? What does Mark Sebastian think of the trade? What would Mark do?

WWoO Show 26: Risk Management and Listener Questions Joe Burgoyne dives into the topic of risk management with Andrew Giovinazzi from Option Pit. They discuss using options to limit portfolio risk and managing your trading expectations. Also, Joe talks with Greg Stevens at Fidelity.

WWoO Show 26: Risk Management and Listener Questions Joe Burgoyne dives into the topic of risk management with Andrew Giovinazzi from Option Pit. They discuss using options to limit portfolio risk and managing your trading expectations. Also, Joe talks with Greg Stevens at Fidelity.

WWoO Show 21: Searchable ODD and Time Spreads Joe Burgoyne highlights the addition of a search feature to the ODD document in Industry Happenings. Then he discusses time and calendar spreads with Andrew Giovanazzi from Option Pit.

WWoO Show 21: Searchable ODD and Time Spreads Joe Burgoyne highlights the addition of a search feature to the ODD document in Industry Happenings. Then he discusses time and calendar spreads with Andrew Giovanazzi from Option Pit.

Options Bootcamp 56: Options Trade Tags Demystified Basic Training: Today's guest is Andrew Giovinazzi, of Option Pit, Option Block, and Options Oddities fame.   Mark, Dan and Andrew discuss options trade tags, including: Regular Spread Block Trade Inter-market Sweep Combo Cancel SoldLast Price Variation Buy Write   Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Question from Vegan - What oil products do airlines use to hedge their crude exposure? Question from Alan - Why is rolling a position so prominent? Is that not just averaging into a losing trade? Question from Angus - Maybe this is a basic question, but where do the names call and put come from? What about straddle and strangle?

Options Bootcamp 56: Options Trade Tags Demystified Basic Training: Today’s guest is Andrew Giovinazzi, of Option Pit, Option Block, and Options Oddities fame. Mark, Dan and Andrew discuss options trade tags, including: Regular Spread Block Trade Inter-market Sweep Combo Cancel SoldLast Price Variation Buy Write Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Question from Vegan - What oil products do airlines use to hedge their crude exposure? Question from Alan - Why is rolling a position so prominent? Is that not just averaging into a losing trade? Question from Angus - Maybe this is a basic question, but where do the names call and put come from? What about straddle and strangle?

Tony Sizemore, from Option Elements ( http://optionelements.com ), discussed "How I Traded to Lead the Options Tribe Trading Contest." Tony talked about his JAN 2015 trade where he made a profit of more than $80,000 in his personal trading account. Tony discussed his trading philosophy. Download the video at http://capitaldiscussions.com/website-walkthrough

Steve Lentz, from OptionVue ( http://optionvue.com/ ), discussed "Volatility Edge Analysis of the Russell 2000." Steve showed how often the RVX implied move of RUT is under estimated and how he's trying to use technical analysis to improve the trading edge. Download the video at http://capitaldiscussions.com/website-walkthrough

Volatility Views 148: What Color Is the Dress? Volatility Review: A look back in the week from a volatility perspective VIX Cash: Low: 12.86, High: 15.48 Skew Index: 126.20 The extended hours for VIX options are set to begin Monday, March 2, while the extended hours for SPX options are expected to start on Monday, March 9. VIX Options: Total 4.38m (2.98m Calls, 1.40m Puts) VIX term structure hits CBOE earnings International Volatility Review Crude Oil: Volatility returning to oil. Volatility Voicemail: Listener questions and comments Question from Jordan M. - Do you have any updates on the volatility ETF from Robert Whaley that proposes to eliminate the roll yield issues with VXX? Is it coming to market any time soon? Question from Smile Creators - Hello, big fan. Thanks for the great shows. Is there a study that tracks Implied vol vs Historical vol? I am interested to see when they are following the same pattern or they deviate. Pakapiko. Question from Mr. Bochco - Where do you guys fall on the great 252 vs 365 debate when analyzing volatility? I have heard arguments for both. At the end of the day does volatility not occur even on the weekends and holidays? The Wager:    Comment from AvonDude - Recent comments from the Fed this week seem to reinforce Marks stance on rates. Whomever wins the wager should buy the other guy a bottle of the fine liquor of their choice. Comment from Mike S. - Not looking good on the Fed front. I probably have to fall on the no change side of the fence after this week. I do not remember which host wagered on what but I would like to see the losing host make a donation to the other host's favorite charity. That way everyone wins. Comment from Tom Statton - I think both co-hosts should buy Mark a steak regardless of the outcome for featuring them on this fantastic program. Well done Mark. I would buy you one as well if you ever make it to Alberta. Comment from Mark A. - No way Fed raises this year. When he loses I think Jared should fly to Chicago and host a cocktail party for all Volatility Views listeners. I would happily allow him to buy me some tasty beverages. Comment from SylvanElph - Regarding the Fed Bet - It ois a radio program so the co-hosts cannot wear embarrassing outfits. Maybe buy the other a pizza of their choice? So Jared would have to buy Mark (and Mark) a nice Chicago deep dish and Mark would have to buy Jared a tasty NYC thin crust. Or New Haven style. Whatever his preference. Comment from Jeremy Stevens - I think the Fed will have to adjust their rates before the close of 2015. They are too terrified of inflation and stagflation to sit on their hands. Not sure why a blip in CHF in early 2015 would set the tone for Fed policy at the end of 2015? Maybe Mark can elaborate? As for the wager - How about the loser gives away 5 free subscriptions to his services to VV listeners? So Jared can give away some BGC Research and Mark can offer his Option Pit subscriptions.  Crystal Ball: Andrew and Jared prognosticate wildly. VIX cash to below 13?   

Volatility Views 148: What Color Is the Dress?   Volatility Review: A look back in the week from a volatility perspective VIX Cash: Low: 12.86, High: 15.48 Skew Index: 126.20 The extended hours for VIX options are set to begin Monday, March 2, while the extended hours for SPX options are expected to start on Monday, March 9. VIX Options: Total 4.38m (2.98m Calls, 1.40m Puts) VIX term structure hits CBOE earnings International Volatility Review Crude Oil: Volatility returning to oil. Volatility Voicemail: Listener questions and comments Question from Jordan M. - Do you have any updates on the volatility ETF from Robert Whaley that proposes to eliminate the roll yield issues with VXX? Is it coming to market any time soon? Question from Smile Creators - Hello, big fan. Thanks for the great shows. Is there a study that tracks Implied vol vs Historical vol? I am interested to see when they are following the same pattern or they deviate. Pakapiko. Question from Mr. Bochco - Where do you guys fall on the great 252 vs 365 debate when analyzing volatility? I have heard arguments for both. At the end of the day does volatility not occur even on the weekends and holidays? The Wager:    Comment from AvonDude - Recent comments from the Fed this week seem to reinforce Marks stance on rates. Whomever wins the wager should buy the other guy a bottle of the fine liquor of their choice. Comment from Mike S. - Not looking good on the Fed front. I probably have to fall on the no change side of the fence after this week. I do not remember which host wagered on what but I would like to see the losing host make a donation to the other host’s favorite charity. That way everyone wins. Comment from Tom Statton - I think both co-hosts should buy Mark a steak regardless of the outcome for featuring them on this fantastic program. Well done Mark. I would buy you one as well if you ever make it to Alberta. Comment from Mark A. - No way Fed raises this year. When he loses I think Jared should fly to Chicago and host a cocktail party for all Volatility Views listeners. I would happily allow him to buy me some tasty beverages. Comment from SylvanElph - Regarding the Fed Bet - It ois a radio program so the co-hosts cannot wear embarrassing outfits. Maybe buy the other a pizza of their choice? So Jared would have to buy Mark (and Mark) a nice Chicago deep dish and Mark would have to buy Jared a tasty NYC thin crust. Or New Haven style. Whatever his preference. Comment from Jeremy Stevens - I think the Fed will have to adjust their rates before the close of 2015. They are too terrified of inflation and stagflation to sit on their hands. Not sure why a blip in CHF in early 2015 would set the tone for Fed policy at the end of 2015? Maybe Mark can elaborate? As for the wager - How about the loser gives away 5 free subscriptions to his services to VV listeners? So Jared can give away some BGC Research and Mark can offer his Option Pit subscriptions.   Crystal Ball: Andrew and Jared prognosticate wildly. VIX cash to below 13? 

Volatility Views 146: Betting on Fed Volatility Volatility Review: A look back in the week from a volatility perspective   VIX Cash: High - 19.28, low - 15.26 S&P: 30-Day Imp. Vol - 13, 30-Day Hist. Vol - 16. Skew Index - 129.94 VVIX: Thursday Close - 93.24 VIX Options: 700K contracts on Feb 12, for a strong up day for the market. Total 5.36m (3.28M calls, 2.08M puts). Extended VIX Options trading hours start March 2. Upcoming launch of RealVol SPY Options on BOX - good news for our former co-hosts. VXST: Current open interest: 3 contracts. RVX: Current open interest: 58 contracts. International Volatility Review: RVI - Russian Volatility Index OIL: WTI March futures are back above $50, after dipping below it again. OVX still hovering near $60, 6-month chart of OVX is pretty impressive.   Volatility Voicemail: Listener questions and comments Follow-up from Uncle Ben - Thanks for answering my question last week. Your sympathy for my plight as the “lone market participant” is appreciated. Sorry I set off the racism detector with my handle. I did not mean to derail the program. It just happens to be my name (although I do like the rice).   Question from Tim Biggs - Any data on that theta free approach to earnings? What percentage of decay occurs prior to the event vs. post-event and how does that compare to underlying movement during the period? Question from George - This may seem like a silly question but does anyone go out and look at old VIX cash data from 30 days ago and compare that to current realized? Is that not what VIX cash is attempting to predict? Is that disseminated anywhere as a number or index? Something along the lines of a VIX Accuracy Index? The Wager: Comment from Tom Statton - I think both co-hosts should buy Mark a steak regardless of the outcome for featuring them on this fantastic program. Well done Mark. I would buy you one as well if you ever make it to Alberta. Comment from Mark A - No way Fed raises this year. When he loses, I think Jared should fly to Chicago and host a cocktail party for all Volatility Views listeners. I would happily allow him to buy me some tasty beverages. Comment from SylvanElph - Regarding the Fed Bet - It is a radio program so the co-hosts cannot wear embarrassing outfits. Maybe buy the other a pizza of their choice? So Jared would have to buy Mark (and Mark) a nice Chicago deep dish and Mark would have to buy Jared a tasty NYC thin crust. Or New Haven style. Whatever his preference. Comment from Jeremy Stevens - I think the Fed will have to adjust their rates before the close of 2015. They are too terrified of inflation and stagflation to sit on their hands. Not sure why a blip in CHF in early 2015 would set the tone for Fed policy at the end of 2015? Maybe Mark can elaborate? As for the wager - How about the loser gives away 5 free subscriptions to his services to VV listeners? So Jared can give away some BGC Research and Mark can offer his Option Pit subscriptions.     Crystal Ball: Mark and Mark prognosticate wildly.

Volatility Views 146: Betting on Fed Volatility Volatility Review: A look back in the week from a volatility perspective   VIX Cash: High - 19.28, low - 15.26 S&P: 30-Day Imp. Vol - 13, 30-Day Hist. Vol - 16. Skew Index - 129.94 VVIX: Thursday Close - 93.24 VIX Options: 700K contracts on Feb 12, for a strong up day for the market. Total 5.36m (3.28M calls, 2.08M puts). Extended VIX Options trading hours start March 2. Upcoming launch of RealVol SPY Options on BOX - good news for our former co-hosts. VXST: Current open interest: 3 contracts. RVX: Current open interest: 58 contracts. International Volatility Review: RVI - Russian Volatility Index OIL: WTI March futures are back above $50, after dipping below it again. OVX still hovering near $60, 6-month chart of OVX is pretty impressive.   Volatility Voicemail: Listener questions and comments Follow-up from Uncle Ben - Thanks for answering my question last week. Your sympathy for my plight as the “lone market participant” is appreciated. Sorry I set off the racism detector with my handle. I did not mean to derail the program. It just happens to be my name (although I do like the rice).   Question from Tim Biggs - Any data on that theta free approach to earnings? What percentage of decay occurs prior to the event vs. post-event and how does that compare to underlying movement during the period? Question from George - This may seem like a silly question but does anyone go out and look at old VIX cash data from 30 days ago and compare that to current realized? Is that not what VIX cash is attempting to predict? Is that disseminated anywhere as a number or index? Something along the lines of a VIX Accuracy Index? The Wager: Comment from Tom Statton - I think both co-hosts should buy Mark a steak regardless of the outcome for featuring them on this fantastic program. Well done Mark. I would buy you one as well if you ever make it to Alberta. Comment from Mark A - No way Fed raises this year. When he loses, I think Jared should fly to Chicago and host a cocktail party for all Volatility Views listeners. I would happily allow him to buy me some tasty beverages. Comment from SylvanElph - Regarding the Fed Bet - It is a radio program so the co-hosts cannot wear embarrassing outfits. Maybe buy the other a pizza of their choice? So Jared would have to buy Mark (and Mark) a nice Chicago deep dish and Mark would have to buy Jared a tasty NYC thin crust. Or New Haven style. Whatever his preference. Comment from Jeremy Stevens - I think the Fed will have to adjust their rates before the close of 2015. They are too terrified of inflation and stagflation to sit on their hands. Not sure why a blip in CHF in early 2015 would set the tone for Fed policy at the end of 2015? Maybe Mark can elaborate? As for the wager - How about the loser gives away 5 free subscriptions to his services to VV listeners? So Jared can give away some BGC Research and Mark can offer his Option Pit subscriptions.     Crystal Ball: Mark and Mark prognosticate wildly.

Option Block 385: Theta Decay Trading Block: Business welcomes midterm GOP takeover, what can the market hope for from the GOP congress? U.S. stocks mixed as investors' eye oil prices. Euro falls to two-year low after Draghi signals more ECB action. Tesla shares rallying after earnings.     Odd Block: Giant call traders in SPDR S&P Oil and Gas Explorers (XOP), puts trade in Geron Corp. (GERN), and large calls trade in Education Management Corp (EDMC)   Xpress Block: Alex discusses the methodology behind premium harvesting and the IdeaHub.   Mail Block: Listener questions and comments Question from Mukund Ambarge - Hi Team, I had a question on theta decay. I understand that delta is in constant flux with every tick move in stock, the delta/gamma changes. IV is in constant flux with buying and selling of options and volume etc. So Vega changes with option transactions. But theta decay is the only one which is always in a steady pace i.e. it's not like it will decay quickly today and slowly tomorrow. The question is, when the theta decay is really adjusted in the prices of options. Do the theta decay get adjusted at every tick move - or every hour? If it is adjusted daily. Then when is the theta decay taken out of options. Early morning before start of trading? Or late in the day like last few minutes that whole days theta is taken out? Also I do not know when is weekend theta taken out of prices? Friday early morning or Friday ending or middle of the day? Basically when does market maker run the prices with the model and set the prices? Only once before trading starts or does he keep adjusting every minute/hour/tick based on demand/supply?     Around the Block: Where's OX this week? Option Pit is hosting “Using Options to Trade Direction.”

Option Block 385: Theta Decay Trading Block: Business welcomes midterm GOP takeover, what can the market hope for from the GOP congress? U.S. stocks mixed as investors' eye oil prices. Euro falls to two-year low after Draghi signals more ECB action. Tesla shares rallying after earnings.     Odd Block: Giant call traders in SPDR S&P Oil and Gas Explorers (XOP), puts trade in Geron Corp. (GERN), and large calls trade in Education Management Corp (EDMC)   Xpress Block: Alex discusses the methodology behind premium harvesting and the IdeaHub.   Mail Block: Listener questions and comments Question from Mukund Ambarge - Hi Team, I had a question on theta decay. I understand that delta is in constant flux with every tick move in stock, the delta/gamma changes. IV is in constant flux with buying and selling of options and volume etc. So Vega changes with option transactions. But theta decay is the only one which is always in a steady pace i.e. it's not like it will decay quickly today and slowly tomorrow. The question is, when the theta decay is really adjusted in the prices of options. Do the theta decay get adjusted at every tick move - or every hour? If it is adjusted daily. Then when is the theta decay taken out of options. Early morning before start of trading? Or late in the day like last few minutes that whole days theta is taken out? Also I do not know when is weekend theta taken out of prices? Friday early morning or Friday ending or middle of the day? Basically when does market maker run the prices with the model and set the prices? Only once before trading starts or does he keep adjusting every minute/hour/tick based on demand/supply?     Around the Block: Where's OX this week? Option Pit is hosting “Using Options to Trade Direction.”

Option Block 341: Weird Activity In Colgate-Palmolive   Trading Block:  A surprising VIX given the upcoming holiday weekend. Record low levels in some beloved Option Block names. We saw a massive upside call going up in VIX early this week. The U.S. options exchanges are working jointly toward the development of a uniform obvious error rule to nullify or adjust transactions that meet the definition of an obvious or catastrophic error. OCC and US Options Exchange adopt pre and post-trading risk control principles.    Odd Block: Closing puts buyers trade in HMS Holdings Corp. (HMSY) Puts sellers trade in Big Lots, Inc (BIG) Call sellers trade in Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) Closing put sale in US Steel Corp (X)   Xpress/Mail Block: XpressMail….get it? OX questions this week. Comment from CBarles - I agree with Mark and the Viceroy - OX needs a "caps lock" detector on the website login page. I am always forgetting that and having to log in twice - very annoying. Please save me from myself.  Comments/Questions from Kaiser Dog - Mark, First let me thank you for using my post in the Mail Call. Made my day yesterday. If you liked that? I have a lot more where that came from.  Just got done listening to "Talking Volatility" and enjoyed the show. I must confess I am not an "Option Pit" guy. Just a retail investor who has a big hunger for anything option related and A fan of the "MeatBall" and the Show in general. I bought Flash Boys the day it was released and have read it about 5 times. Thank you for your work on this front as well. Kudos to your unbiased reports. Please keep them coming. My question for the panel today is as follows: There has been allot of talk about Bubbles. I thought Hubba Bubba and Big League Chew were filling for IPO's there has been so much chatter on CNBC and other media sites. lol. The element that seems to be missing? Undue euphoria and enthusiasm. I do not see it. I do not see Retail participating in any big way. Volume is anemic and artificial (HFT) in my opinion. I would love to hear the panel's take on the topic of A Market Bubble. In addition I would like to hear every ones take on the "State" of the "Retail" investor. Thanks again! Cheers.   Around the Block:  Initial Jobless Claims Data and Homes Sales Report on Thursday -- Claims are expected to be higher. Notes from the FOMC meeting.

Option Block 341: Weird Activity In Colgate-Palmolive Trading Block:  A surprising VIX given the upcoming holiday weekend. Record low levels in some beloved Option Block names. We saw a massive upside call going up in VIX early this week. The U.S. options exchanges are working jointly toward the development of a uniform obvious error rule to nullify or adjust transactions that meet the definition of an obvious or catastrophic error. OCC and US Options Exchange adopt pre and post-trading risk control principles.  Odd Block: Closing puts buyers trade in HMS Holdings Corp. (HMSY) Puts sellers trade in Big Lots, Inc (BIG) Call sellers trade in Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) Closing put sale in US Steel Corp (X) Xpress/Mail Block: XpressMail….get it? OX questions this week: Comment from CBarles - I agree with Mark and the Viceroy - OX needs a "caps lock" detector on the website login page. I am always forgetting that and having to log in twice - very annoying. Please save me from myself.  Comments/Questions from Kaiser Dog - Mark, First let me thank you for using my post in the Mail Call. Made my day yesterday. If you liked that? I have a lot more where that came from.  Just got done listening to "Talking Volatility" and enjoyed the show. I must confess I am not an "Option Pit" guy. Just a retail investor who has a big hunger for anything option related and A fan of the "MeatBall" and the Show in general. I bought Flash Boys the day it was released and have read it about 5 times. Thank you for your work on this front as well. Kudos to your unbiased reports. Please keep them coming. My question for the panel today is as follows: There has been allot of talk about Bubbles. I thought Hubba Bubba and Big League Chew were filling for IPO's there has been so much chatter on CNBC and other media sites. lol. The element that seems to be missing? Undue euphoria and enthusiasm. I do not see it. I do not see Retail participating in any big way. Volume is anemic and artificial (HFT) in my opinion. I would love to hear the panel's take on the topic of A Market Bubble. In addition I would like to hear every ones take on the "State" of the "Retail" investor. Thanks again! Cheers.   Around the Block:  Initial Jobless Claims Data and Homes Sales Report on Thursday -- Claims are expected to be higher. Notes from the FOMC meeting.

Option Block 336: Earnings and the Death of Minis Trading Block: A mild day on the street. Apple catching a bid. Tuesday's computer error at NYSE ACRA and NYSE AMEX options markets resulted in almost 20,000 erroneous trades.   Odd Block: Call buyers trade in Nike Inc. (NKE), call sellers trade in Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD), put spreads trade in iShares Barclays 7-10 year Treasury ETF (IEF) - closing roll, and closing put buyers trade in NQ Mobile Inc. (NQ).   Xpress Block: Late May/Early June is the target date for enhancements to OX mobile, which will include single-leg walk limits, as well as OSO and OTO orders.   Mail Block: In which Option Pit steals the show. Website comment from Kaiserdog76: Loved todays Option Block. Especially the focus on Mini Options and their total failure. Mark Sebastian said it best when he talked about the people that really need a break in the Market getting "Bo Didley Squat" when the dust settles. I have all ways hated Minis. Talk about a getting "Stupid" on an option trade. One tenth the size but %100 the commission. Spreads wider than Honey Boo Boo. This product is a total joke and in my humble opinion never really lived. This was dead on takeoff. Website comment from Meatball-in-training:  Great show. The question from one of your listeners about the trade scanner that keeps popping up two standard deviation ITM debit spreads was very interesting. Is it perhaps the case that the scanner is ignoring the cost of carry on the premium itself when looking at prospective trades? That is the sort of thing I can imagine someone overlooking when programming a trade scanner and for wide verticals with lots of time to expiration, it might be enough to make expensive debit spreads look superior to their synthetically equivalent credit spreads. I am one of Mark and Andrews's students, so if this is all wrong, feel free to blame them. Tweet from OtC bOuNcEr$ @stevesokol21 - Is there a way to run a scan anywhere to find more stocks with that pattern? Thanks a lot for the help     Around the Block: Still some more earning left out there: ATVI - 5/6, CBOE - 5/6, DIS - 5/6, EA - 5/6, GRPN - 5/6, TSLA - 5/7 & PCLN - 5/8

Option Block 336: Earnings and the Death of Minis Trading Block: A mild day on the street. Apple catching a bid. Tuesday's computer error at NYSE ACRA and NYSE AMEX options markets resulted in almost 20,000 erroneous trades.   Odd Block: Call buyers trade in Nike Inc. (NKE), call sellers trade in Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD), put spreads trade in iShares Barclays 7-10 year Treasury ETF (IEF) - closing roll, and closing put buyers trade in NQ Mobile Inc. (NQ).   Xpress Block: Late May/Early June is the target date for enhancements to OX mobile, which will include single-leg walk limits, as well as OSO and OTO orders.   Mail Block: In which Option Pit steals the show. Website comment from Kaiserdog76: Loved todays Option Block. Especially the focus on Mini Options and their total failure. Mark Sebastian said it best when he talked about the people that really need a break in the Market getting "Bo Didley Squat" when the dust settles. I have all ways hated Minis. Talk about a getting "Stupid" on an option trade. One tenth the size but %100 the commission. Spreads wider than Honey Boo Boo. This product is a total joke and in my humble opinion never really lived. This was dead on takeoff. Website comment from Meatball-in-training:  Great show. The question from one of your listeners about the trade scanner that keeps popping up two standard deviation ITM debit spreads was very interesting. Is it perhaps the case that the scanner is ignoring the cost of carry on the premium itself when looking at prospective trades? That is the sort of thing I can imagine someone overlooking when programming a trade scanner and for wide verticals with lots of time to expiration, it might be enough to make expensive debit spreads look superior to their synthetically equivalent credit spreads. I am one of Mark and Andrews's students, so if this is all wrong, feel free to blame them. Tweet from OtC bOuNcEr$ @stevesokol21 - Is there a way to run a scan anywhere to find more stocks with that pattern? Thanks a lot for the help      Around the Block: Still some more earning left out there: ATVI - 5/6, CBOE - 5/6, DIS - 5/6, EA - 5/6, GRPN - 5/6, TSLA - 5/7 & PCLN - 5/8

  TRADING BLOCK Finally a day of action after an unchanged last couple of weeks. Apple destroys Samsung in jury verdict  - $1B Verdict - Samsung won basically no judgements - Interesting that the judge disallowed a samsung media player from 2006, that looks just like the iPhone! Groupon can't catch a bid.  ODD BLOCK Huge Blocks of Calls Trade on EMC - Chasing Deltas  Puts Active on Seagate Technology (STX). Shield, which has been included since the S&P was created in 1957, has been booted and will be placed by Lyondell Basell, a Dutch chemical company.  XPRESS BLOCK Sean Fitzgerald discusses a few of the trades that have come across the OX desk recently. ETFs, Spiders and other trades. LISTENER MAIL FORUM POST: New OX goodies for Canada? POSTED BY: Sean Conrad I love the sound of the new OX goodies that were announced on the last Option Block. This functionality could really help me - but I can't see it. Now that I think about it I've never seen OX Social either. I hail from Ottawa here in Canada - am I going to have access to these tools? If so - when? I remember hearing that OX social would be rolled out in stages to Canada and other International clients but I don't think that happened - what's going on? Is there some reason why we can't just use the US site and tools for our accounts? AROUND THE BLOCK Not many earning rolling into the long weekend, except for market mover. Avoid the holiday Vol crush. How do you play Vol?

  TRADING BLOCK Finally a day of action after an unchanged last couple of weeks. Apple destroys Samsung in jury verdict  - $1B Verdict - Samsung won basically no judgements - Interesting that the judge disallowed a samsung media player from 2006, that looks just like the iPhone! Groupon can't catch a bid.  ODD BLOCK Huge Blocks of Calls Trade on EMC - Chasing Deltas  Puts Active on Seagate Technology (STX). Shield, which has been included since the S&P was created in 1957, has been booted and will be placed by Lyondell Basell, a Dutch chemical company.  XPRESS BLOCK Sean Fitzgerald discusses a few of the trades that have come across the OX desk recently. ETFs, Spiders and other trades. LISTENER MAIL FORUM POST: New OX goodies for Canada? POSTED BY: Sean Conrad I love the sound of the new OX goodies that were announced on the last Option Block. This functionality could really help me - but I can't see it. Now that I think about it I've never seen OX Social either. I hail from Ottawa here in Canada - am I going to have access to these tools? If so - when? I remember hearing that OX social would be rolled out in stages to Canada and other International clients but I don't think that happened - what's going on? Is there some reason why we can't just use the US site and tools for our accounts? AROUND THE BLOCK Not many earnings rolling into the long weekend, except for market mover. Avoid the holiday Vol crush. How do you play Vol?

Volatility Views 57:  Turning the Tables on Mark Sebastian Volatility Review: VIX is back this week, after it ended unchanged at 0.0 before last week's Option Block episodes. Time will tell as we see what happens in Europe. NASDAQ one- and three-month realized volatility has had almost no movement at all, but the trend is surely upward.  Volatility Viewpoint: Long-time panelist Mark Sebastian gets the chance to sit in the guest's seat and discusses what Option Pit is and the world of options education.  Mail Bag: Answering listener questions.CBOE is in the process of changing the way they list weekly options. How do you think the change will impact weekly options volatility, as well as the way they perform? Thanks again and I love the show. You guys make my commute to work a little more bearable. (Via Facebook from Chris Monty) In a time spread, which risk/opportunity should I really focus on: gamma or vega? It seems like trading time spreads is essentially finding a proper balance between these two. (Via email from Theodore Johnson, Boise, ID) I'm and expat American currently living and trading in Germany. As an old-school options trader, I've always considered myself first-and-foremost a volatility trader. I mostly view my positions and I'm always looking for interesting new products like VolContracts, VIX, etc., that will provide me with a new way to hedge/trade volatility. When I moved to Frankfurt, I was very surprised to find that most of my European colleagues don't share that perspective. They aren't up on the latest vol products/research and don't tend to view themselves as vol traders. I've found this baffling so I thought I would write to the authority on volatility to see if I am completely nuts or if this is a well-documented situation. Is vol trading, and the interest in vol products, primarily a localized American phenomenon, or am I just hanging with the wrong crowd over here? (Via email from Charles Stephens, Frankfurt, Germany) Crystal Ball: We'll have to keep an eye on Europe, but expect little change in realized volatility. There will be a break in S&P in one direction or the other. 

Option Block 117: 2011 Year in Review Trading Trends Rocky year for volatility The ups and downs of AAPL NFLX: aka the Widowmaker Weeklys Metals Migration into other products Headlines: SPXpm OX + Schwab Deutsche Borse + NYSE MF Global fallout Social media IPOs The Year Ahead: Andrew puts it all on the line re: VIX Mark makes an over/under prediction on SPX What you can expect to see from KYO, OX, Option Pit, and The Options Insider in 2012

Option Block 108: Super Committee VIX Spreads Trading Block: Dow back in the red for the year. Debt cutting debate concerns hit the market -- reminiscent of the debt debate from August, only you don't see everyone loading up on VIX puts this time. Did they learn their lesson? Could more DC gridlock trigger another debt downgrade? Odd Block: Unusual and interesting activity in: Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) NII Holdings, Inc. (NIHD) Strategy Block: Andrew Giovanazzi from Option Pit discusses getting short the VIX without overloading on risk. Around The Block: Super committee debate dominates the outlook for this week -- how do you position for this? Apple below the 375 handle for the first time in a while -- maybe the best is behind Apple?

Volatility Views 25: Skewness and Kurtosis Volatility Review: Metals and gold vol. Euro vol review: Don talks about the recommendations he had made to sell the Euro VolContracts a week ago Thursday, and where they settled this past Friday - a product rich in volatility. S&P, Nasdaq, and commodity vol review. Plus, Mark Sebastian's volatility review. Volatility Viewpoint: A quick primer on mean, median, standard deviation, skew-ness, and kurtosis of distributions, and why we don't remove the mean for vol calculations. Plus, explaining negative market skew-ness, leptokurtic behavior of stock prices, etc. As always, we keep it easy to understand and non-intimidating. Mailbag: Captain Options asks, "Given the explosion of popularity in weekly options, I'm curious if Mark & Don think there is room for short-term realized volatility products. Would a weekly realized vol product even make sense at this point given the short time frame of the product? Can you generate a worthwhile calculation of volatility in such a short time frame?" Crystal Ball: S&P, Nasdaq, and commodity Vol outlook. Euro VolContracts outlook. What's coming up at VolX and Option Pit?

Volatility Views Episode Two: The Shadowy World of Volatility SwapsMark and Don are joined by Mark Sebastian from Option Pit.  There is no shortage of opinions on volatility this week. Volatility Week in Review: VIX cash down, but how much does the weekend take out of it? Review of the new skew index; Euro VolContracts (TM) show a sharp volatility decline over March; VolX adds RSJ as a market maker. Volatility Viewpoint:  Exploring the shadowy world of volatility & variance swaps; Using OTC volatility and variance swap markets to capture vol.  The nature of the payoffs. Realized volatility options in the cards. Inferred vol. Crystal Ball: Sebastian thinks that vol has hit a bottom and that it will be ticking up.  Don wonders if that means that the market will fall? Not necessarily...

Join Mark Sebastian of Option Pit and learn how to compare realized volatility to the level of implied volatility in ETF options.

Trading Block:  Trade deficit falls.  MSFT loses patent lawsuit. Exchange scuttlebutt.  Commodity rundown.  USDA report comes out. Trading floor nostalgia. Odd Block: Unusual activity in BAC, VRTX Xpress Block:  What happens when a trade gaps against you?  Halting Chinese stocks.  NFLX.  Looking for a big spike in vol. Around the Block: RIMM earnings on 6/16.  Ford paying back loan money. Coming up.... Know Your Options, Inc.:  Calendars & Diagonals webinar on Sunday night.  Next week, Steve Papale joins the gang for Option Block. optionsXpress:  Check out market insights.  There is a New York trading event coming up on 6/25.  There is still time to vote in the overview wish list. Option Pit:  Un-do your bad mentoring experiences with the Option Pit Life Boat.  Email mark@optionpit.com for more details.  Also, Mark is giving a free webinar with CBOE on 6/21 at 3:30 on when to switch from an ETF to the big index.  Visit cboe.com for more details. Read more: http://www.theoptionsinsider.com/radio/?id=243#ixzz1PStrkQTE The Options Insider: Your Inside Source For Options Information

Join Mark Sebastian of Option Pit and learn how to compare realized volatility to the level of implied volatility in ETF options.

Join Mark Sebastian from Option Pit as he covers Nondirectional ETF Trading Using ISE Spreads.

Join Mark Sebastian from Option Pit as he covers Nondirectional ETF Trading Using ISE Spreads.

Join Mark Sebastian from Option Pit as he covers Nondirectional ETF Trading Using ISE Spreads.

Join Mark Sebastian of Option Pit as he discusses how to identify trending and non-trending markets.

Join Mark Sebastian of Option Pit as he discusses how to identify trending and non-trending markets.

Join Mark Sebastian of Option Pit as he discusses how to identify trending and non-trending markets.