Option Block 371: Talking TSLA, SCTY, YHOO and Alibaba Trading Block: NOTE: No Alex for the next six weeks. Our thoughts and prayers with him while he undergoes surgery. Alibaba IPO & Yahoo - Barron’s telling people to buy Nov 43-48 call spread to benefit from the IPO. TSLA & SCTY over 10%. A bad day for the wallet of Elon Musk. Odd Block: Puts filled in The Market Vectors Russia ETF (RSX), puts trade in Commscope Holding Co. (COMM) - newsletter?, calls trade in Itau Unibanco Holding SA ...
Sep 16, 2014•49 min
Option Block 370: Live Episode Spectacular! Trading Block: Apple trading above $100 post iWatch/Mega - any changes to outlook/trading strategy here? CBOE Futures ExchangeSM (CFE) announced today that it plans to launch futures trading on the CBOE/CBOT 10-year U.S. Treasury Note Volatility IndexSM. 9/11 Anniversary - Bin Laden Put Options Odd Block: Puts spreads trade in Market Vectors Russia ETF (RSX) Call Buyers Jump into Control4 Corp (CTRL) Giant Butterfly Trades in Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK) Long...
Sep 12, 2014•1 hr 21 min
Option Block 369: Short Puts and Ratios in AAPL Trading Block: S&P glued to the 2000 handle. Go Pro very active today - Yahoo as well. TLT - blame the Viceroy. Odd Block: Puts trade in Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) Calls trade in Pattern Energy Group (PEGI) Calls trade in Apple Inc. (AAPL) Strategy Block: Good greed vs. Bad greed Mail Block: Comment from KaiserDog76 - Oh that Granny Smith tasted sour today! Lol I have to admit I ditched my calls shortly after the open and I am very, very glad I ...
Sep 09, 2014•55 min
Option Block 368: Selling Premium in a Quiet Market Trading Block: A mild day on the street today. BP fiasco slaughters everything oil related. Apple had a four point loss. CBOE announces weeklies on SPX Odd Block: Calls buyers flood into QuickSilver, Inc (ZQK) Calls trade in JAKKS Pacific, Inc (JAKK) Calls trade in Corning Inc. (GLW) Mail Block: Question from Mandel - What is a premium writer to do in this market? Any suggestions for good income trades here? Strategy Block: Today, Uncle Mike To...
Sep 05, 2014•49 min
Option Block 367: Talking AAPL Collars Trading Block: A relatively quiet day on the street. GoPro and Twitter were the only two names Apple still seems to be reaching new high. How did Tosaw play it? Odd Block: Big put seller in Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), puts trade in 21Vianet Group Inc. (VNET), and bullish paper in EZCHIP Semiconductor LTD (EZCH). Xpress Block: A very quiet day on the OX desk. 3 to 4 leg trade tickets on Street Smart is tentatively scheduled to release on Friday, Sept 5. Str...
Aug 29, 2014•59 min
Option Block 366: The Knife Edge of Volatility Trading Block: Most major indices up today on the street. Vol saw a bit of a rally as well. S&P briefly hit 2,000, but couldn't stay there. Odd Block: Calls trade in Credit Suisse Group AG (CS), calls trade in H&R Block (HRB), and risk reversal trades in Lennar Corp (LEN). Xpress Block: What’s new with IdeaHub? Futures side and securities side premium harvesting. Mail Block: Listener questions and comments Question from Seven - With all the ...
Aug 26, 2014•58 min
Option Block 365: The Great Apple $107 Debate Trading Block: A mild day on the street. Apple finally passes $100. What will Yellen say tomorrow and how will it affect the market? New study show advisors use of options increased 13% since 2011. Odd Block: Calls trade in Jarden Corp. (JAH) calls trade in China Finance Online Co. (JRJC), and calls trade in Macerich Co. (MAC). Xpress Block: Free pizza day at every Schwab/OX site today in celebration of the importing of the 3- and 4-leg trade ticket ...
Aug 22, 2014•57 min
Option Block 364: Dollar General Madness Continues Trading Block: Rally ho on the street today! German 10-year realized vol was 100%! The social media trio - FB, LKDN and TWTR mixed today. Odd Block: Unusual options activity in DG, AMSC, EGHT, and TASR. Xpress Block: Schwab tools: The 4-legged trade ticket is coming to Schwab the first-second week of September. Mail Block: Question from Ted Schwartz Hi, I'm working my way through the Options Boot Camp and Option Block, learning lots of good stuf...
Aug 19, 2014•59 min
Option Block 363: The Last Train to Pallookaville Trading Block: The market rallied about half a handle. Putin talks up the street. Bonds: TLT & IEF. Berkshire A crosses $200,000 a share. Red Robin taking it on the chin today. Odd Block: Some unusual activity in TSRA, NM, and NKTR Xpress Block: The social networking triplets (Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook) were all active today. Amazon surprisingly active as well. Mail Block: Listener questions and comments Question from Everett: Really enj...
Aug 15, 2014•59 min
Option Block 362: You, Too, Can Own a Piece of History Trading Block: Big momentum days for PriceLine, LinkedIn and Tesla. Zynga rallies. A picture of Alex is up for sale on Ebay . Odd Block: Diagonal puts trade in Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) ratio call spread buy - Earnings trade goes up in Fossil Group Inc. (FOSL), and calls roll in iShares Dow Jones US Home (ITB) - sell Aug buy Sep. Xpress Block: Three- and four-legged trade tickets to be released early to mid-September. Premium harvesting in the IdeaH...
Aug 12, 2014•58 min
Option Block 361: The Happy Bottom Trading Block: A little bit of a down day on the street, but nothing like last week. Zynga and Groupon after the bell. ZNGA closing south of the 3 handle. VIX futures trading below the VIX cash. Grains and wheat options and the Russia embargo. Odd Block: Combos trade in Flotek Industries Inc. (FTK), puts trade in Gerdau SA (GGB) wheel trade. Xpress Block: LULU has been running hot, but cooled down during the day. Three-to-four leg tickets coming in September. I...
Aug 08, 2014•1 hr 1 min
Option Block 360: Return of the Voice Trading Block: Some of the Thursday selloff coming back into the market. Where could the VIX go in the next few weeks? VXST trading below the VIX cash. Odd Block: Ratio roll calls in Select Sector SPDR Financials (XLF), a ratio time "Tosaw Stupid" in SM Energy Co. (SM), size ITM call buyer with stock in AmerisourceBergen Corp. (ABC), and closing call roll in NQ Mobile (NQ). Xpress Block: A little technical hiccup with Idea Hub. Amazon got a lot of attention ...
Aug 05, 2014•52 min
Option Block 359: Thursday, Bloody Thursday Trading Block: A bloody day on the street. A default, a bankruptcy, and bad Fed news. Massive FLEX trades went up today. Professor Whaley and the VIX term structure Odd Block: Revisiting a position in iShares MSCI Taiwan Index (EWT) Xpress Block: Alex discusses about the changing metrics in portfolio margining and the risk tools. Strategy Block: Uncle Mike highlights his strategy using the Long SPY Long Oct 190 Put Mail Block: Listener questions and co...
Aug 01, 2014•56 min
Option Block 357: AMZN Call Buyers Get Crushed Trading Block: Markets mostly unchanged in modest volume. Apple posts decent numbers but disappoints overall. Amazon earnings after the bell. OX clients still buying far OTM calls? Facebook rallies $4.50 post earnings and trades over 1m contracts. Ford announced before open. Not much of an event. Odd Block: Call buyers trade in Wisconsin Energy Corp (WEC), spreads go up in iShares Dow Jones US Homebuilders Index ETF (ITB), call buyers trade in Navio...
Jul 25, 2014•58 min
Option Block 356: CME and NFLX Earnings Rundown Trading Block: A relatively quiet day on the street, after a crazy week. Earnings so far: NFLX after the close, CME (the stealth Apple) after the close. Positioning for Apple tomorrow. Odd Block: Call buyers trade in Steel Dynamics (STLD), call spreads buyers trade in Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc. (OREX), calls buyer trade in Crocs, Inc. (CROX), call spreads, rolls selling Dec, buying March trade in CytRx Corp. (CYTR). Xpress Block: Herbalife taking ...
Jul 22, 2014•58 min
Option Block 355: Bleeding Out Into the Pillow The Trading Block: A bit of a bloodbath on the street. Dire world news out of Ukraine and Israel/Palestine. Yellen's comments reverberating around the market. A 33% spike in the VIX. Microsoft slashing jobs. U.S. House passes spending bill with Dodd-Frank changes. The Odd Block: Opening put buy in Currency Shares Canadian Dollar ETF (FXC), short puts with stock trade in Gerdau SA (GGB), big block of puts traders in Janus Capital Group Inc. (JNS), an...
Jul 18, 2014•1 hr 5 min
Option Block 354: When to Close Out a Spread Trading Block: VIX and VIX cash. LULU taking it on the chin. It’s time for the Trading Patterns Guessing Game once again! Odd Block: Calls roll in Danaher Corp (DHR), calls roll in Wisconsin Energy Corp (WEC) - Buy Jul, Sell Jan., closing collar in AGCO Corp (AGCO) - Buy call/sell put, and ratio call spread unwind in Beazer Homes USA, Inc (BZH) - Sell 1, Buy 2. Xpress Block: Alex discusses the development of migrating the OX tools to Schwab, including...
Jul 15, 2014•54 min
Option Block 353: Crazy Combos and the Great Open Interest Debate Trading Block: A volatile day on the street - S&P got as low as 1952. VIX cash ticking up nearly one handle. Gold a big mover today - to the delight of Uncle Mike Tosaw. It’s time for the Trading Patterns guessing game again - this time with GLD! Lumber Liquidators (LL) gets crushed, down over 20% today. Options volume already 10x ADV on new that they are cutting 2014 earnings outlook. Sprecher calls for market-wide purge for ...
Jul 11, 2014•56 min
Option Block 352: Hot GoPro Action Trading Block: A mild selloff ahead of earnings. The newcomer GoPro was very active today, as well as everyone’s favorite fruit company, Apple. Odd Block: Call buyers trade in URS Corp. (URS), puts buyers with stock trade in King Digital Entertainment (KING), call buyers trade in Zions Bancorp (ZION), and put spread buyers trade in iShares MSCI Germany Index (EWG). Xpress Block: A lot of speculation in fixed income. Strategy Block: Tosaw discusses how not tradi...
Jul 08, 2014•59 min
Option Block 351: Dollar General Insider Loses Millions Trading Block: A quiet day on the street, given the shortened trading week. A stealth rally in Gold. Traders preparing pre Google earnings. Under 400K ADV in VIX today. Odd Block: Call spreads trade in Dollar General Corp. (DG), size ratio spreads trade in Carnival Corp (CCL), puts sellers trade in Companhia Energetica Minas. (CIG), and small call buyers trade in Amicus Therapeutics, Inc (FOLD). Xpress Block: Alex discusses premium harvesti...
Jul 01, 2014•57 min
Option Block 350: TWTR Risk Reversal Rundown Trading Block: Interesting intra-day activity, but ended up closing basically unchanged. VIX cash back in the 11 handle range. A resurgence in Twitter. A banner day for Valero. Odd Block: Calls trade in PowerSecure International, Inc (POWR), calls roll in Ashland Inc. (ASH), puts trade in SM Energy Co. (SM), put spreads roll in Tractor Supply Co. (TSCO), puts trade in MagicJack Volactec ltd. (CALL). Mail Block: Listener questions and comments Question...
Jun 27, 2014•55 min
Option Block 349: A Bonafide Covered Strangle Trading Block: Lululemon had a big move today, as did Facebook and Tesla. Is time once again for the Trading Patterns Guessing Game!. Odd Block: Put butterflies trade in Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DJX), call sellers trade in AerCap Holidings NV (AER), call and put sellers (covered strangle?) trade in PG&E Corp. (PCG), and same month call rolls trade in Six Flags Entertainment Corp (SIX) Xpress Block: What is your take of the covered strang...
Jun 24, 2014•55 min
Option Block 348: Rampant Insider Trading The Trading Block: More of a micro, rather than a macro day today. Gold up on the day. Is VIX too low? Lululemon had a stealth rally last week. New Amazon Fire phone. Visa popped up the day. A study by professors at NYU and McGill University in Montreal shows insider options trades precede about a fourth of US M&A deals. Odd Block:Call sales trade in Verso Paper Corp. (VRS), and bullish risk reversal/Combos trade in Exterran Holdings Inc. (EXH) Xpres...
Jun 20, 2014•1 hr 3 min
Option Block 347: Bringing Guns to the Trading Pit Trading Block: A very mild day on the street. Everyone still loves Tesla. What is up with gold volatility? Odd Block: Calls spreads trade in Fairchild Semiconductor Intl. (FCS), calls trade in Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc (NXST), calls trade in St Jude Medical, Inc. (STJ), puts roll trade in SPDR Barclays Capital High Yield (JNK). Xpress Block: You could quality for a commission waiver on options trading if you belong to the Schwab Private Cl...
Jun 17, 2014•57 min
Option Block 346: Say Hello to Exposure Fees Trading Block: A sea of red on the broad street today. VIX: more fear than fear itself? A big day for energies. Lululemon missed their earnings mark. Odd Block: An update of recent activity in Dollar General (DG), newsletter put seller trade in Galena BioPharma Inc (GALE), risk reversals/collar in Jet Blue Airways Corp (JBLU), and size put buyers trade in the iShares Dow Jones Transport (IYT) Xpress Block: A lot of activity in portfolio margining. Mor...
Jun 13, 2014•51 min
Option Block 345: Beating the Street on Dollar General Trading Block: A mild day on the street. Apple stock split. A possible Deutsche Bourse sale of ISE. Odd Block: Activity review from last week: Carl Icahn disclosed a 9.4% stake in Dollar General (DG) and shares soared. We knew something was up last week. Call buyers in USG Corp (USG), puts rolls trade in Kodiak Oil and Gas Corp. (KOG), and crazy call buying in Clorox Group (CLX) Xpress Block: Apple dominates the housekeeping, speculating on ...
Jun 10, 2014•57 min
Option Block 344: Premium Palooza in Dollar General Trading Block: A great day on the market. Amazon rises after announcing that they will be making an announcement. What is lurking under the low VIX? Complacency? Odd Block: Unusual activity in Tesoro Corp (TSO), Target Corp. (TGT), Dollar General Corp. (DG), and NuStar (NS) Xpress Block: Alex discusses about how a few select clients may be able to trade commission free. Enhanced capabilities in Schwab mobile, including Hub for Futures. Around t...
Jun 06, 2014•58 min
Option Block 343: AAPL Ratio Spread Madness Trading Block: A slow day on the street today. All Apple - all Amazon - nothing below the "A"s. OCC announces cleared contract volume declined in May, while 2014 volume remains up. Odd Block: Call ratio spreads trade in Apple Inc. (AAPL), long-term closing call sale in Fortress Investment Group LLC (FIG), closing put buys before earnings trade in Ascena Retail Group Inc. (ASNA), and opening call seller in The Western Union Co (WU) Xpress Block: Alex di...
Jun 03, 2014•59 min
Option Block 342: Mini Death Knell Trading Block: A mild uptick on the street today. Apple rallies and the market follows. With the VIX moving closer to its 9.39 historic low, many commentators are now discussing it as a "complacency index," writes John Nyaradi of Wall Street Sector Selector Odd Block: Risk Reversal trades in iShares MSCI Australia Fund (EWA), call buyers trade in Scientific Games Corp. (SGMS), and call buy-writes trade in Ambev SA (ABEV) Xpress Block: Alex discusses the recent ...
Jun 02, 2014•1 hr
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 cont...
May 23, 2014•1 hr
