Quiet Monday followed by two days of Powell testimony before Congress, and CPI Wednesday, PPI Thursday, Retail Sales Friday
Author Archives: Jeff
SPX 0-dte trades for 2/7/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX 5995/6015-6135/6155 condors for 1.20, IV 21.88%, deltas -.06 +.06
January Jobs Report
#Jobs — Less than expected; wage growth hotter than expected
Gain of +143,000 non-farm payroll jobs, vs. expected gain of 169K
Unemployment down 0.1 to 4.0%
U6 unemployment 7.5%, unchanged
Labor force participation up 0.1 to 62.6%
Average hourly earnings up by 0.5%, vs expected +0.3%; +4.1% Y/Y
December jobs revised up by +51K to +307K
November jobs revised up by +49K to +261K
SPX 0-dte tradex for 2/6/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Feb 6th 5985/6005-6115/6135 condors for 1.40, IV 19.62%, deltas -.06 +.07
SPX 0-dte trades for 2/5/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Feb 5th 5935/5955-6080/6100 condors for 1.15, IV 23.22%, deltas -.07 +.05
Waited until last minute of premarket trading since we are trending up.
SPX 0-dte trades for 2/4/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Feb 4th 5890/5910-6070/6090 condors for 1.40, IV 29.04%, deltas -.06 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 2/3/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Feb 3rd 5845/5865-6065/6085 condord for 1.35, IV 33.33%, deltas -.06 +.05
Earnings 2/3 – 2/7
Econ Calendar 2/3 – 2/7
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/31/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 31st 6005/6025-6150/6170 call spreads for 1.10, IV 22.12%, -.08 +.04
Pre-market deltas seem a bit skewed, plus overnight skew was bullish. Possible we hit new all time highs today, but I think it’s more likely we get a day of chop.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/30/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 30th 5960/5980-6110/6130 condors for 1.30, IV 22.97%, deltas -.06 +.06
I’ve seen the advantage of waiting for the open wane in recent weeks… as long as overnight action and reaction to premarket data are both mild, I think selling before open is advantageous. However, you need to watch for bad delta skews in pre-market and make sure you are centered well for projected open price of SPX.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/29/25
#SPX0dte Taking my shot before the presser starts: Sold to Open $SPX Jan 29th 5920/5940-6085/6105 condors for 1.15, IV 50.19%, deltas -.06 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/28/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 28th 5925/5945-6085/6105 condors for 1.15, IV 26.15%, deltas -.06 +.05
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/27/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX 5875/5895-6065/6085 condors for 1.20, IV 30.97%, deltas -.06 +.07
Another Upside Warning obliterated
#VIXindicator Clearly there’s a new standard of $VIX behavior that is rendering these signals meaningless.
Earnings 1/27 – 1/31
Econ Calendar 1/27 – 1/31
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/24/25
#SPX0dte On the bell, sold to Open $SPX Jan 24th 6040/6060-6155/6175 condors for 1.05, IV 17.46%, deltas -.07 +.07
NOT a good fill on this. I put the order in before the open and got no fill until the bell, when I could have gotten at least 20 cents more. I waited for the open every day this week and always ended up chasing up for premium… this time I could have gotten a heartier fill.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/23/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 23rd 6010/6030-6115/6135 condors for 1.145, IV 16.99%, deltas -.08 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/22/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 22nd 6005/6025-6115/6135 condors for .95, IV 17.08%, deltas -.06 +.06
What a difference a day makes… massive drop in volatility and premium in the options after weeks of 120-200 point wide 6-delta condors for 1.20-1.50. Today we dropped back to sub 100 pt spread and sub 1.00. Upside Warning likely coming, but as usual it’s lagging.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/21/25
#SPX0-dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 21st 5930/5950-6080/6100 condors for 0.977, IV 23.13%, deltas -.05 +.06
Earnings 1/20 -1/24
Econ Calendar 1/20 – 1/24
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/17/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 17th 5895/5915-6040/6060 condors for 1.05, IV 23.41, deltas -.06 +.05
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/16/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 16th 5860/5880-6015/6035 condors for 1.35, deltas -.05 +.07, at the beel when order was filled. IV around 25%…. TOS option chain was showing incorrect IV/EM data, but just corrected a couple minutes after the open.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/15/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 16th 5815/5835-5985/6005 condors for 1.25, IV 30.45%, deltas -.05 +.06
Core CPI 3.2% in December, less than expected
The consumer price index increased 0.4% on the month, putting the 12-month inflation rate at 2.9%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for respective readings of 0.3% and 2.9%.
However, excluding food and energy, the core CPI annual rate was 3.2%, a notch down from the month before and slightly better than the 3.3% forecast. The core measure rose 0.2% on a monthly basis, also 0.1 percentage point less than expected.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/15/cpi-inflation-december-2024-.html
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/14/25
#SPX0dte Sold To Open $SPX Jan 14th 5755/5775-5925/5945 condors for 1.40, IV 30.87%, deltas -.07 +.05
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/13/25
#SPX0dte Sold to open $SPX Jan 13th 5670/5690-5860/5880 condors for 1.25, IV 32.79%, deltas -.06 +.05
Earnings 1/13 – 1/17
Econ Calendar 1/13 – 1/17
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/10/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 10th 5750/5770-5950/5970 condors for 1.40, IV 34.89%, deltas -.06 +.06
December Jobs Report
#Jobs — 100K higher than expected; wage growth slowing
Gain of +256,000 non-farm payroll jobs, vs. expected gain of 155K
Unemployment down 0.1 to 4.1%, vs expected unchanged
U6 unemployment 7.5%, lowest since June
Labor force participation unchanged at 62.5%
Average hourly earnings up by 0.3%; +3.9% Y/Y, both below expectations
October jobs revised up by +7K to +43K
November jobs revised down by +15K to +212K
Interactive Brokers cuts off options trades
Just got off phone with them… they stopped allowing opening new positions for options expiring on 8th and 9th. It was a result of the confusion they had in having to move all Jan 9th options to expire on the 8th, given that the 9th will be closed. They closed trading earlier, around 11 or 12 ET. No advance warning. Pretty lame.
So I’m done for today, I guess.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/8/25
#SPX0dte Sold to open $SPX Jan 8th 5790/5810-5980/6000 condors for 1.45, delta 31.80%, deltas -.07 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/7/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 7th 5905/5925-6045/6065 condors for 1.20, IV 22.10%, deltas -.05 +.08
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/6/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 6th 5900/5920-6040/6060 condors for 1.15, deltas -.07 +.05
Earnings 1/6 – 1/10
Econ Calendar 1/6 – 1/10
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/3/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX 5805/5825-5965/5985 condors for 1.40, IV 27.16%, deltas -.06 +.06
Waited a bit after open before selling.
SPX 0-dte trades for 1/2/25
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Jan 2nd 5815/5835-5985/6005 for 1.25, IV 28.35%, deltas -.06 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/31/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 31st 5815/5835-6000/6020 condors for 1.55, IV 32.17%, deltas -.05 +.07
EDIT: actually filled for 1.60, I guess as I was lowering my limit order to 1.55, it filled before I transmitted.
High vol and high premium today for 6-delta condor. Must be expecting end-of-year balancing.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/30/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open 5780/5800-5955/5975 condors for 1.30, IV 30.80%, deltas -.07 +.05
Waited for 37 minutes before stepping in… already down over 1.5% so I feel safe(ish) to enter now.
Upside Warning? Nah.
#VIXIndicator. The drop in futures and at the open has canceled the Upside Warning that never was. I noted on Friday that it was the first time I’d seen a $VIX spike high enough to cancel the UpW on the same say that we closed low enough to fire the UpW. That was our clue that this one was not to be.
Earnings 12/30 – 1/3
Econ Calendar 12/30 – 1/3
Upside Warning takes effect
#VIXindicator Today was the first time I remember the intraday $VIX peak exceeding 25% above the 2-dat low, a signal that normally cancels an Upside Warning, followed by the day’s close firing the UpW. But we could be poised for another push higher in the coming days.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/27/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 27th 5920/5940-6050/6070 condors for 1.018, IV 20.18%, deltas -.06 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/26/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 26th 5945/5965-6080/6100 condors for .95, IV 20.12%, deltas -.07 +.06
Santa may kill Downside Warning
#VIXindicator Provided we don’t get a surprise $VIX spike today, the close will kill the Downside Warning under 16.05.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/24/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 24th 5915/5935-6020/6040 condors for .95, IV 15.78%, deltas -.08 +.05
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/23/24
#SPX0dte BOUGHT to open $SPX Dec 23rd 5825/5845-5990/6010 condors for 1.20, IV 25.92%, delta -.05 +.06
After getting whipped around last Thursday and Friday I’m trying some long strategies this week. Although I got out of both with small losses, my short puts on Wednesday finished fully ITM, and my short calls Friday went fully ITM intraday before retracing and finishing ATM. I also remember a Christmas Eve a few years back that had a massive drop, even though only a half day. With Downside Warning in effect and $VIX elevated, I was playing my normal strategies too loosely last week.
Earnings 12/23 – 12/27
Econ Calendar 12/23 – 12/27
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/20/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 20th 5725/5745-5930/5950 condors for 1.25, IV 35.48%, deltas -.06 +.06
Government shutdown deadline in the news today, as well as more data at 10am ET. This condor is nice and wide but I will still watch it closely. Expected move (my stops) is currently 48.30.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/19/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 19th 5795/5815-5985/6005 condors for .95, IV 34.84% deltas -.07 +.05
The drop from morning highs indicated it may not be a highly directional day.
Downside Warning in effect
#VIXindicator As if that wasn’t obvious. Been awhile since I’ve seen an intraday move that sharp.
Upside Warning canceled
#VIXindicator This UpW started AFTER the election week bump, so its first days were actually the next week’s pullback. But we then got the run from 5853 to all time high 3 cents short of 6100 on Dec 6th. Since then its been a choppy ride until today’s collapse. Downside Warning triggered if we close above 18.36 on $VIX.
DOW doubling downer
Today looks to be 10th straight down day. Worst since September 1974 when it went down 11 straight days.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/18/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 18th 5960/5980-6110/6130 condors for 1.35, IV 25.65%, deltas -.07 +.05
I liked the width and premium enough to sell this even though I’m not certain there will be a lot of decay before the FOMC press conference. Based on last time, there won’t be a huge reaction given everyone knows this will be another .25% cut.
DOW downer
If the Dow finishes negative today it will be first 9-day losing streak since the 70’s.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/17/24
#SPX0dte At the bell, sold to open $SPX 5990/6010-6095/6115 condors for .90, IV 14.86%, deltas -.10, +.02
Opposite of yesterday as far as delta skew. At 9:25 the deltas were -.06 +.05. What a difference the open makes.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/16/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 16th 6000/6020-6090/6110 condors for 1.05, IV 12.00%, deltas -.05 +.09
Filled at the open… pre market deltas lied to me… this was -.06 +.07 at 6 minutes before the open. Bumped up to 1.20 after my fill but then fell back to .80. These narrow ones are pretty sensitive. Upside stop is close, at 6073
Earnings 12/16 – 12/20
Econ Calendar 12/16 – 12/20
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/12/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 12th 6015/6035-6105/6125 condors for .70, IV 12.03%, deltas -.08 +.04
Pretty low premium for a narrow condor, but it filled on the down move.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/11/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 11th 5985/6005-6095/6115 condors for 1.00, IV 14.54%, deltas -.05 +.06
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/10/24
#SPX0dte Sold 1 minute aftyer open: $SPX Dec 10th 6005/6025-6095/6115 condors for 1.00, IV 13.21%, deltas -.11 +.03
0-dte Strangles
#SPX0dte I have been testing a new strategy and just completed my second attempt at doing it live.
Recently we’ve seen fairly significant moves in SPX toward end of day. For a couple weeks I’ve been watching ATM strangles with 5-point centers. Once these drop below 6 or even 5 bucks (after 1pm ET), it is a fair bet to BUY one and then wait for a move. The idea is to cover the full cost of the trade plus some profit on the first move, then try to get as much as you can extra profit from the other side.
Today I bought $SPX Dec 9th 6060/6065 strangles for 4.70 at 2:17pm ET.
I had to wait over 20 minutes for a move, and in that time it dropped to 3.85. Loss of less than a dollar… if it had gone more than a dollar in the red I may have stopped out. But then the spike down happened and my put option sold for 6.00. So I was 1.30 in profit. Now I can choose to wait for a total bounce and perhaps even get a double. On some test days this DID happen. But when I saw no immediate strong bounce, I closed today’s for .90. Sure enough, SPX took a further drop so .90 was nice to catch. Had I been willing to sit with the risk longer, I could have sold put side for as much as 7.00 (at least so far), but I think these trades are best when goal is 1.00 to 2.00 in profit. For this one I got 2.20.
On Friday I bought a strangle for 5.60 and got the down move almost immediately. It didn’t go very far and started to recover, so I sold put for 6.00. With .40 profit I decided to wait for a full recovery and sell call if it got to 4.00. It didn’t; the drop continued so it expired.
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/9/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 9th 6035/6055-6115/6135 condors for 1.05, IV 12.00%, deltas -.09, +.07
Fairly narrow with aggressive deltas but only way to get premium. Overnight moves pretty mellow, so looking for a sideways goong into Wednesday’s CPI.
Earnings 12/9 – 12/13
Econ Calendar 12/9 – 12/13
SPX-0dte for 12/6/24
#SPX0dte Sold 6065/6095-6100/6130 condors for 10.10, IV 12.09%
Tight leash…. this has been a chase as premium dropping pretty rapidly.
November Jobs Report
#Jobs — Higher than expected, UE rate rising
Gain of +227,000 non-farm payroll jobs, vs. expected gain of 214K
Unemployment up 0.1 to 4.2%, as expected
U6 unemployment 7.8%, up by 0.1
Labor force participation down 0.1 at 62.5%
Average hourly earnings up by 0.4%; +4.0% Y/Y
October jobs revised up by +24K to +36K
September jobs revised up by +32K to +255K
SPX 0-dte trades for 12/5/24
#SPX0dte Sold to Open $SPX Dec 5th 6035/6055-6115/6135 condors for .95, IV 12.37%, deltas -.10 +.05
Bullish leaning. Quiet overnight, so hopefully we stay sideways because this is a tight range. All attention seems to be on BitCoin topping 100k.





































