Articles from the Experts

Option Block 311: VIX Drops the Ball

Trading Block: An aggressive selloff today, S&P off 41 handles, NASDAQ down 107 handles. VIX cash passes the 20-handle.  A weak start to February. Apple and GLD were the lone greens on the screen today. That makes for a happy Tosaw. The OIC announced today that 389,821,135 total options contracts traded in January, the seventh highest monthly volume ever. TTWO earnings after the bell.

Odd Block: Collars go up in Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO), call buyers trade in Powershares DB Agriculture (DBA), and collars go up in Seattle Genentics, Inc. (SGEN)

Xpress Block: A difficult day at the OX desk. All hands on deck after the opening selloff.

Strategy Block: Uncle Mike Tosaw expands on his discussion on rolling down puts.

Around the Block: More Earnings-palooza:

CME 2-4 before; RDN 2-5 before; DIS & TWTR 2-5 after; GM, LNKD, and ZNGA 2-6; CBOE 2-7.

Option Block 309: The Big AAPL Earnings Show

Trading Block: Markets reverse most of today’s slide late in the session. Lots of index volatility, but not many buyers. VIX coming off later in the session. Big Apple earnings after the bell, and right in Tosaw’s crosshairs. The International Securities Exchange (ISE) has not appealed a federal court decision that rejected ISE's attempt in the New York courts to challenge S&P Dow Jones Indices’ (SPDJI) rights to control the use of the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average as the basis of index options.

Odd Block: Puts trade in iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM), calls trade in Time Warner Inc. (TWX), and calls trade in Mechel OAO (MTL)

Xpress Block: Nat Gas and the 10-year very busy on the desk. Apple, MasterCard, Caterpillar, F5 Networks and VIX also very active.

Strategy Block: It’s fruit day! Tosaw also discusses his current position in the Russell.

Around the Block: Apple update, Fed meeting, and President Obama’s State of the Union address.

Option Block 307: Idiotic Upside Calls

Trading Block: A mild selloff early in the session. SPX weeklies up 98% in 2013. SPX & VIX options hopefully getting extended hours in 2014. Best buy taking in on the chin after a poor holiday season. Chuck E. Cheese is worth a billion!

Odd Block: Calls trade in Eldorado Gold Corp. (EGO), calls trade in Amarin Corporation (AMRN), and calls trade in Insmed Incorporated (INSM)

Xpress Block: Intel, Best Buy, and DR Horton were popular on the OX desk today.

Mail Block: Keep those questions rolling in!

• Comment from Shane Hamilton: Only on the Option Block does Andrew toss around words like "bereft". #alteredstate
• Trading resolution from Britt Dowd: To finish building my foundation so that I can finally focus on trading options.
• Follow up from Richard: Regarding Jack's question, would these have to be put based front spreads since you'll ultimately have net uncovered short positions? I didn't think naked calls, as you would have in a front spread, would be eligible for use in retirement accounts? Thanks.
• Regard this question from Jack: I know you guys are not tax advisors, and so nothing you say can be taken as certain in any answer to this question.  I am a small time trader, and at the moment cannot afford a CPA with trading expertise in options to do my taxes.  So I am wondering if you can talk about the potential tax consequences of front spreads, especially when used as covered call replacement.  I've had good success with this strategy, and I would like to move it into my margin account this year, instead of just using it in the IRA to avoid the tax headache.
• Question from Luke Davis: Mark, in show 302, you said in answer to a listener question that using a six month or one year LEAP was good for a stock replacement strategy. Is there any reason you wouldn't go further out than that? For example, I am currently using this on Microsoft and Ford, but with the Jan 2016 ITM calls. Keep up the informative and entertaining shows, and happy New Year!

Option Block: Apple Kills Weekly Volatility

Trading Block: Alcoa kicking it off after the bell. Apple crushes weekly premium by announcing a late earnings date - 1/27 as opposed to 1/23 like many expected. Many weekly options on the 1/24 cycle were cut in half.

Odd Block: Review from Jan 7: Call buyers in Plug Power Inc. (PLUG), puts sellers trade in BlackBerry Ltd (BBRY), calls roll in Cheniere Energy, Inc. (LNG), and calls roll in American Realty Capital Properties (ACRP).

Xpress Block: Alex discusses premium harvesting for futures.

Mail Block: What do you want to talk about?

• Tweet from Ziaur Rahman: what would be a good place to learn about options trading? I’m interested in learning the basics on options trading.stock/index futures, then also discount broker to trade.
• Question from Jack: I know you guys are not tax advisors, and so nothing you say can be taken as certain in any answer to this question.  I am a small time trader, and at the moment cannot afford a CPA with trading expertise in options to do my taxes.  So I am wondering if you can talk about the potential tax consequences of front spreads, especially when used as covered call replacements?  I've had good success with this strategy, and I would like to move it into my margin account this year, instead of just using it in the IRA to avoid the tax headache. 
• Question from Ian Getz: I'm curious how you find good options related articles on the general internet with such a generic word as "options"? Any tips? Articles on the general internet with such a generic word as "options"?

Around the Block: Upcoming Earnings: CITI, GS, and INTC: 1/16, BAC 1/15.