#SPXcmapiagn Sold to Open $SPX Oct 19th (monthly) 2420/2395 put spreads for 1.45.
Closed on GTC order: Sep 25th 2445/2420 put spreads for .25. Sold for 4.50 on Aug 31st.
Author Archives: Jeff
SPX Chart and VIX Indicator have been updated
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Rough day playing ATM put spreads; got whipsawed. The VIX downside warning has not been officially canceled because we have not closed below the Fib 78.6% from the small VIX spike on Sept 5th. So I’ve been hesitant to be aggressively bullish; but tried it out today on the open and got spanked.
VXX rolls
#VXXGame #LongPutDiagonals
BTC $VXX Sep 22nd 44 puts, #Rolling: Sold Oct 13th 42 puts, .24 credit
BTC $UVXY Oct 6th 27.5 puts, #Rolling: Sold Oct 27th 25.5 puts, .15 credit
Also,
BTC UVXY Dec 91 call for 1.15. Sold for 8.00 on Aug 17th.
Clear selling pressure
#SPXcampaign Looks like an unfortunate whipsaw. I should’t have gotten suckered in since the Downside Warning has not been canceled. Going into triage mode.
BBY earnings closed
#Earnings #LongStock
Sold my final 100 shares of $BBY for 57.74 as my one-dollar trailing stop was hit.
Original trade: Sold Sep 1st 57.5 puts on 8/28 for 1.06.
Assigned stock on Sep 1st
Waited for recovery and sold stock between 56.50 and 58.50.
Max profit on original trade: $738.50
Final profit in the end: $684.50
AZO earnings
#Earnings #ShortStrangles
Sold to Open $AZO Sep 22nd 505/630 strangles for 3.20. Biggest UP move: 5.8%, Biggest DOWN move: -11.8%, Average move: 2.7%. My trade filled at 569.00 as AZO dropped from its intraday high. Probably possible to get above 3.50 now.
AZO moved down -11.8% on the day after earning last quarter, but then bounced and hovered for a few weeks before dropping much lower. I was able to escape the trade with full profit before the bigger drop. That was before AZO added weeklys.
My strikes are -11.2% and +10.7% OTM. Position size is small.
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign Looks like more upside today and likely the week. Stopping call spreads, selling ITM put spreads…
Stopped: $SPX Sep 27th 2500/2525 call spreads for 12.00. Sold in a #CondorRoll for 9.90 last Monday. Partial #ReverseRoll: Sold Sep 18th 2510/2495 put spreads for 3.45. Expires today, hopefully worthless if we can close higher as I expect.
Stopped: Sep 25th 2510/2535 call spreads for 6.65. Sold last Tuesday for 3.50.
#ReverseRoll: Sold Sep 22nd 2510/2485 put spreads for 5.85.
Sold Oct 19th (monthly) 2555/2580 call spreads for 1.70.
Closed on GTC orders:
Sep 25th 2425/2400 put spreads for .20. Sold for 3.10 on Aug 31st
Sep 20th 2460/2435 put spreads for .20. Sold in a #CondorRoll for 10.50 on 9/6.
Econ Calendar for week of 9/18/17
Periodically click “Home/REFRESH” above to keep Bistro features updated.
SPX chart and VIX Indicator have been updated
Click Home/REFRESH on the menu above to update right-column features.
Options Expiration 9/15/17
#OptionsExpiration #ContangoETFs #VXXGame #SPXcampaign #Earnings #CoveredCalls
— Expiring w/max profit —
DRIP 35 call
KOLD 45 call
SVXY 75 put
SPX 2505/2530 call spreads (sold in a #CondorRoll for 3.95 on Tuesday)
— Expiring w/loss —
SPX 2420/2405 LONG put spreads, bought for 1.25 last Friday
— #Assignment —
PLCE 110 covered call, partial stock position being called away
SPX ITM roll
#SPXcampaign Closed $SPX Sep 22nd 2475/2500 call spreads for 17.95. Sold for 4.50 on Aug 29th.
#ITMroll Sold Sep 29th 2480/2505 call spreads for 17.45.
Also, stopped Sep 29th 2500/2525 for 9.65. Sold for 2.75 on Sep 8th as part of a #RiskReversal. Had to take risk off going into Monday. Will figure out how to roll next week.
#LongCallSpread Finally, bought to Open Sep 22nd 2510/2525 call spreads for 2.75, after the bell. Another hedge against further upside on Monday.
SPX more trades
#SPXcampaign Bought to close $SPX Sep 15th 2500 calls for .25. Sold in the 2500/2525 call spreads for 3.45 on Aug 17th.
Sold Oct 13th 2540/2565 call spreads for 1.75.
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign $SPX
TODAY:
Closed Sep 15th 2480/2455 put spreads for .20. Sold in a #CondorRoll for 3.95 on Tuesday.
Closed Sep 29th 2340/2315 put spreads for .20. Sold for 1.55 on Aug 28th.
Sold Oct 13th 2420/2395 put spreads for 1.50.
BBY stock sold
#Earnings #Assignment #LongStock
Sold more shares today at 57.50 and 58.50, assigned at 56.44 basis. Now that the full position is nicely profitable I put my remaining shares on trail stops of .50 and 1.00.
AAOI closed
#PostEarnings #ShortPuts
Bought to close $AAOI Sep 15th 55 puts for .20. Sold for 1.25 on Aug 4th. Had I remembered this GTC order was in, I would have taken it off and let it expire worthless.
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign
Bought to close $SPX Sep 13th 2490/2465 put spreads for .20. Sold yesterday for 2.45
Sold to Open $SPX Sep 22nd 2475/2450 put spreads for 2.15.
Rolling ITM
#VXXGame #LongPutDiagonals Most of us have long known the folly of selling puts on $VXX and $UVXY. It can work during volatile periods but as soon as market drifts higher, these go ITM very quickly. I’m rolling my diagonal weeklys to further dated but still ITM positions. The long term positions are fine, but as @fuzzballl says, these short-term puts won’t always be easy.
Rolled VXX Sep 22nd 45.5 puts to Oct 6th 44 puts for .02 credit
Rolled UVXY Sep 22nd 29 puts to Oct 6th 27.5 puts for .15 credit.
SPX rolls
#SPXcampaign
Closed: Sep 18th 2495/2520 call spreads for 5.30. Sold in a #CondorRoll for 6.75 on Sep 1st.
#Rolling: Sold Sep 25th 2510/2535 call spreads for 3.50.
Selling Sep 22nd 2470/2445 put spreads for 2.50 (no fill yet)
Closed: Oct 6th 2520/2545 call spreads for 3.70. Sold for 1.70 on Sep 5th.
#CondorRoll: Sold Sep 15th 2455/2480/2505/2530 condors for 3.95. Trying to thread the needle for expiry on Friday.
SPX close and roll
#SPXcampaign I closed this yesterday afternoon and sold the roll this morning:
STOPPED: $SPX Oct 4th 2515/2540 call spreads for 3.60. Sold for 1.45 last Thursday.
#CondorRoll: Sold Oct 11th 2385/2410/2535/2560 condors for 3.75.
Also: In pre-market, sold Sept 13 2490/2465 put spreads for 2.45. Expires tomorrow.
REGN closed call
#ShortStrangles BTC $REGN 530 call for .20. Sold in the 430/530 strangle for 7.40 on Aug 23rd. My mistake was not closing the put during the rally above 500. I’m not going to roll the call down with the stock so low. If it rallies in the next week or so, I may sell a new call.
BBY stock for sale
#Earnings #Assignment #LongStock
Sold shares of $BBY for 56.50, and 56.75. Cost basis 56.44 from 57.5 put assignment on 9/1.
Covered Call premium not attractive enough to play with this one. I don’t trust the business either with Amazon devouring all retail in sight. Will sell out of remaining shares as it moves up or down from here.
SPX update
#SPXcampaign Rough day yesterday, not just because the market went against me but also because TOS has decided to crap out on my PC, freezing my trading at various points yesterday. Now I’ve got it up on my Mac and it’s running smoothly.
Too many stops and rolls to count yesterday. I’m weathering this drawdown as the last one… getting pretty short the market and holding it until we get a pullback. New all-time highs this morning and VIX plunging… I will be truing some short term put spreads as well as the rolls.
Any questions please forward them. I should post an updated chart tonight, but too many trades to type in here.
VXX puts
#VXXGame #LongPutDiagonals
Sold $VXX Sept 22nd 44 puts for .73. Also short 47 and 45.5 puts. If rally continues tomorrow I will be looking to roll.
SPX calls sold
#SPXcampaign Sold to Open $SPX Oct 13th 2535/2560 call spreads for 1.50.
Two weekends in a row I got caught on the wrong side. Leaned bearish going into the weekend. It was NOT an Irma bet… I feel the market is still weak. But it seems weekend news (Korea then Irma) is highly influencing Monday action.
Econ Calendar for week of 9/11/17
SPX Chart and VIX Indicator…
SPX Chart and VIX Indicator have been updated
Options Expiration 9/8/17
#OptionsExpiration #Earnings #VXXGame #LongPutDiagonals
— Expiring —
RH 36 puts
UVXY 28 & 29 puts
To Bistro-ites in Florida… stay safe!
VXX Game
#VXXGame #LongPutDiagonals
Sold $VXX Sep 22nd 47 puts for 1.57
Sold $UVXY Sep 22nd 29 put for 1.59
BTC $SVXY Oct 20th 68 put for 3.85. Reducing exposure. Sold for 5.55 on Aug 23rd.
SPX going bearish
#SPXcampaign Making several moves to bear myself up.
Sold to Open $SPX Sep 13th 2465/2490 call spreads for 7.65. This is a spread I sold Tuesday, covered yesterday, and now I’m selling again. Sounds nuts, but I really look at opportunities on a day to day basis. Each day told me something different in this uncertain market. Other than the commissions, I have no qualms about appearing erratic at times.
#RiskReversal Bought put spreads in two different expiries and sold one call spread to cover cost of both (almost). They are all different widths, based on what I expect to be able to profit, and what premium I want to spend.
Bought to open Sep 15th 2420/2405 put spreads for 1.25 (15 puts)
Bought to open Sep 29th 2400/2380 put spreads for 1.90 (20 puts)
Sold to Open Sep 29th 2500/2525 call spreads for 2.75 (25 puts)
Correction ahead?
Wall Street strategist Tom Lee sees the S&P 500 falling 5% in the next 30 days
#Market I rarely post CNBC talking heads, but this guy is always sensible and rarely wrong.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/08/fundstrat-strategist-tom-lee-sees-the-sp-500-falling-5-percent-in-the-next-30-days.html
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign Closed $SPX Sep 8th 2450/2425 put spreads for .75. Sold last week for .75, as part of a Risk/Reversal. Closed the long 2480/2495 spread for .20.
Sold to Open Oct 4th 2515/2540 call spreads for 1.45. Used the Wednesday series since Oct 6th is crammed with too many spreads already.
VXX puts sold
#LongPutDiagonals Same deal as below with $VXX…
Sold VXX Sep 22nd 45.5 puts for 1.19. This is against my Jan 2019 position (long 20 puts, short 50/60 call spreads). I only sold three so I leave myself open to selling more, since my position is a 10-lot.
SPX roll
#SPXcampaign Closing a reverse roll I sold on Tuesday’s drop. Don’t have any idea which way we’re headed but I’m leaning on the downside.
Closed $SPX Sept 13th 2465/2490 call spreads for 9.25. Sold for 6.75 on Tuesday
#Rolling
Sold Sep 18th 2445/2420 put spreads for 3.00
Sold Sep 25th 2480/2505 call spreads for 6.30
UVXY put
#LongPutDiagonals Sold $UVXY Sep 22nd 29 put for 1.85. This is against my Jan 2019 position (long 30 puts, short 30/40 call spreads). It is replacing the Sep 8th 29 puts expiring tomorrow. I only sold one so I leave myself open to selling another, since my position is a 2-lot.
NUGT and DUST
Sold $NUGT Nov 17th 60 call for 2.10
Closed $DUST Dec 50 call for .20. Sold for 4.75 on July 7th.
Like a friend who stays longer than you expected…
#Earnings #StrangleRoll Looks like I am committing to a longer term relationship with $RH. Not happy about my sloppy exit, but what’s done is done.
BTC RH Sep 8th 64.5 calls for 7.05
STO RH Oct 20th 65/75 strangles for 6.70. Sold an extra 65 put for 3.90, to give me a roll credit of .43 on the whole trade. I will manage this similarly to #PerpetualRollingStrangles
REGN dropped
#ShortStrangles I guess not adjusting is working out for my Sep 29th 430/530 strangle.
RH earnings blowout
#Earnings Sold 64.5 calls, 28% OTM… and got slammed. Up 43%! The previous day-after earnings max intraday move was only 27%. Considering options to roll.
RH earnings
#Earnings #ShortStrangles
Sold each side separately: $RH Sep 8th 36 puts for .50, and 64.5 calls for .60. Over last 12 earnings, the 3-day moves: Biggest UP move: 21.7%, Biggest DOWN move: -26.4%, Average move: 11.4%. My strikes are each about 28.4% OTM.
SPX roll
#SPXcampaign I rolled this one earlier as the downside risk is too great this close to expiration.
Bought to close $SPX Sep 8th 2480/2455 put spreads for 13.50. Sold last week for 6.80.
#CondorRoll Sold to Open Sep 20th 2435/2460/2485/2510 condors for 10.50, 1.33x position size.
EDIT: I closed PUT spreads, not call spreads.
SPX calls sold
#SPXcampaign Sold to Open $SPX Oct 6th 2520/2545 call spreads for 1.70.
SPX reverse roll
#SPXcampaign Bought to close $SPX Sep 18th 2455/2430 put spreads for 7.65. Sold in a #CondorRoll for 6.75 on Friday.
#ReverseRoll Sold Sep 18th 2465/2490 call spreads for 8.00.
SPX reverse roll
#SPXcampaign Bought to close $SPX Sep 13th 2455/2430 put spreads for 6.60. Sold for 4.70 last Thursday as a roll.
#ReverseRoll: Sold $SPX Sep 13th 2465/2490 call spreads for 6.75. Was able to move up 10 points and still get a credit on the roll.
Downside Warning!
#VIXIndicator — Downside warning is in effect.
That was quick.
Downside Signal fired
#SPXcampaign #VIXIndicator It is a rare occurrence for a new downside signal to fire so soon after a previous Warning was canceled, but it just happened today. If VIX reaches 13.26, we’ll have a full-fledged Downside Warning.
NUGT call
#ContangoETFs Sold $NUGT Mar 16 2018 60 call for 5.50. Highest strike.
VXX long game
#VXXgame #LongPuts
Added some more to Friday’s $VXX position and also threw out a few different strikes. These are just straight purchases, not paid for by selling call spreads.
Bought VXX Jan 2019 20 puts for 1.75, adding to my position.
Bought VXX Jan 2019 15 puts for .60
Bought VXX June 2018 25 put for 1.32
Will add more. Barring a 2008-style multi-month correction, these will profit easily.
SRPT position closed
#Earnings BTC $SRPT Sep 15th 35 put for .20. Sold for 1.20 on July 27th. Overall a losing trade from the original iron condor, since I took a loss on half at expiration. The second half fared better by covering the short stock at lower prices, but not enough to make up for the first half.
PLCE stock sold
#Earnings #Assignment #LongStock
Sold to close one-fourth of my $PLCE stock position at 108.50. Assigned on Aug 11th with 108.00 cost basis. Holding the rest with #CoveredCalls already established.
SPX puts sold
#SPXcampaign Sold to Open $SPX Oct 6th 2355/2330 put spreads for 1.55.
Econ Calendar week of 9/4/17
Options Expiration 9/1/17
#OptionsExpiration #Earnings #Assignment
Only one this week:
Assigned stock on $BBY 57.5 puts
VXX long game
Bought to open $VXX Jan 2019 20 puts for 1.80
Sold to Open VXX Jan 2019 50/60 call spreads for 2.23
Net credit: .43.
I traded 10, so profit near expiration should be about $10K.
Max risk just under 10K if VXX soars above 60 and doesn’t come back down. An extremely unlikely scenario.
I’m on portfolio margin, and due to other VXX, SVXY and UVXY position, I was actually credited margin back for this trade. How much this may strain my buying power during a big correction is up to my broker.
I don’t think I will be buying a safety call as @fuzzballl does, but I will consider it. Also will consider selling weekly puts to increase profits.
VXX long game
Looking at setting up #LongPutDiagonals on $VXX, following @fuzzballl‘s lead.
Effective price of VXX 16 months ago: 255.00.
Price today: 46.23
Projected price in 16 months (Jan 2019): 8.38
Buying Jan 2019 20 puts now for 1.83, they’ll be worth 12.62 at expiration.
This is the perfect opportunity, and I darned near missed it because I was watching UVXY too much. I did a study a couple years back on buying long put LEAPs right after reverse splits. It almost always works, unless a huge correction happens near expiration, which is why you would likely close a couple months early.
And if I sell some call spreads to pay for it… it’s a golden trade.
Am I missing anything?
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign Bought to close $SPX Sep 1st 2470/2445 put spreads for .75. Sold yesterday for 5.80.
STOPPED: Sep 8th 2475/2500 call spreads for 8.40. Sold for 3.10 on Aug 24th.
#ReverseRoll Sold Sep 8th 2480/2455 put spreads for 6.80.
August JOBS report
#Market A slight miss this month. Market don’t care.
+156,000 non-farm jobs in August. June/July revised down a total of -41,000
Unemployment rate up one tick to 4.4%, after ticking down to 4.3% in July.
U6 unchanged at 8.6%, unchanged
Avg hourly earnings up +0.1%, worse than July +0.3% and June +0.2%
Labor Force Participation 62.9%, unchanged.
Downside Warning officially over
#VIXIndicator closed below the Fib 78.6% line, so the warning is over. Likely more upside in the coming days. Two more consecutive days below 10.65 will mean an Upside Warning.
NUGT call
#ContangoETFs Adding another rung to the ladder: Sold $NUGT Dec 15th 58 call for 2.28.
REGN soaring
@fuzzballl You trade this more than I. Do you have a level at which you will roll your 530 call?
#ShortStrangles
Covered Calls
#CoveredCalls #LongStock
Sold to Open $FB Sep 29th 175 call for 1.85
Sold to Open $PLCE Oct 20th 115 call for 2.00, adding to my position.
yet more SPX
#SPXcampaign The triage continues as I flip my account from short to long.
Bought to close $SPX Sep 29th 2505/2530 call spreads for 4.00
Sold to Open Oct 6th 2340/2365/2535/2560 #CondorRoll for 3.15, 1.33x position size.
#RiskReversal #LongCallSpread
Bought to OPEN SPX Sep 8th 2480/2495 long call spreads for 2.90
Sold to Open SPX Sep 8th 2450/2425 short put spreads for 3.15
The spread I purchased is only 15-wide, which made it cheaper. Closing this one for $15 would exceed my expectations, so buying a smaller size than I sell works for me.
Also, closed on GTC order:
Sep 15th 2310/2285 put spreads for .20. Sold as a roll on Aug 10th for 2.05
more SPX trades
Bought to close $SPX Sep 15th 2480/2505 call spreads for 6.20. Sold for 2.98 yesterday.
#ReverseRoll Sold Sep 13th 2455/2430 put spreads for 4.70. Will make up 1.50 debit.
Bought to close Sep 13th 2470/2495 call spreads for 10.05. Sold for 5.45 yesterday. Roll coming.
Bought to close Sep 25th 2500/2525 call spreads for 4.20. Sold for 1.60 on Aug 21st.
#ReverseRoll Sold Sep 25th 2445/2420 put spreads for 4.50.
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign VIX plummeting. Moving toward the end of Downside warning today. Sold to Open the following $SPX put spreads:
Sep 1st 2470/24456 for 5.80. Expires tomorrow. May close today if we get high enough.
Sep 25th 2425/2400 for 3.05.
Sep 29th 2375/2350 for 1.60.
SPX Chart and VIX Indicator have been updated
Tomorrow, and Friday with the Jobs Report, should tell us whether we’re headed up or down into September.
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign I had to close two call spreads that went ATM today. The VIX dipped but ended off its lows. I will do more rolling tomorrow.
Bought to close $SPX Sep 14th 2460/2485 call spreads for 10.60. Sold yesterday for 6.00. Not yet rolled.
Bought to close Sep 6th 2460/2485 call spreads for 7.70. Sold as part of a #CondorRoll for 6.65 on Aug 25th. Rolled…
#ATMroll Sold Sep 13th 2470/2495 call spreads for 5.45. Ten points higher and I can roll again if we hit 2470. Will add a put spread tomorrow to make up for the debut.
Also, sold to open Sep 29th 2510/2535 call spreads for 1.40, standard campaign position.
VIX dropping
#SPXcampaign #VIXINdicator With the VIX breaking below its intraday consolidation and SPX shooting higher, I’m beginning the process of reversing my SPX campaign positions from short to long. The Downside signal will not officially be over until a close below 10.65, but today it’s certainly looking to be headed there.
SPX trades
#SPXcampaign Sold to Open $SPX Sep 15th 2480/2505 call spreads for 3.00. Extra spread offsetting existing put spreads; looking to sell a put spread in a different expiry.
Closed on GTC order: Sep 8th 2340/2315 put spreads for .20. Sold for 1.50 on Aug 10th.
SPX reversal?
#SPXcampaign The huge reversal in SPX and big drop in VIX (looking to end down on the day) could signal a sort-term bottom is in. I am looking to close some call spreads with profits; if there is a follow-through rally tomorrow, I will be facing a serious drawdown if I don’t close some today.
SPX calls sold
#SPXcampaign Another downside signal fired in premarket with VIX high of 14.34. I’ve profited greatly from call spreads in August, and I’m banking there’s more time left before the next rally to new highs.
Sold to Open $SPX Sep 14th 2460/2485 call spreads for 6.00.
Sold to Open $SPX Sep 22nd 2475/2500 call spreads for 4.50.
Also trying to sell put spreads since the open. I’ve been waiting for a stronger spike down, but it’s not coming. Always a possibility that this morning’s open was the low.
NUGT call
#ContangoETFs Sold $NUGT Dec 15th 51 call for 3.80, adding to my position.
BBY earnings
#Earnings Sold to Open $BBY 57.5 puts for 1.06. Biggest UP move: 21.5%, Biggest DOWN move: -7.4%, Average move: 8.6%. This trade is 7.5% OTM.
NUGT new highs
#ContangoETF’s $NUGT hitting multi-week highs.
BTC NUGT Sep 15th 51 call for .15. Sold for 4.60 on May 17th.
STO NUGT Oct 45 call for 2.00.
SPX calls sold
#SPXcampaign Sold to Open $SPX Sep 29th 2505/2530 call spreads for 1.65, with SPX at 2444.
SPX calls closed
#SPXcampaign Bought to close $SPX Aug 28th 2455 calls for .25. Sold in a #CondorRoll for 4.40 on Aug 21st.
Econ Calendar for week of 8/28/17
JOBS report on Friday. Markets CLOSED next Monday.
Options Bistro 