Rolling this week’s ladder position out 3 weeks to keep the ladder going
Bought to Close WFC Dec 24 2020 29 Calls / Sold to Open WFC Jan 15 2021 30 Calls @ 0.19 Credit plus an extra point on the strike price.

Bought to close ADS Dec 24 2020 72.5 Calls / Sold to Open ADS Dec 31 2020 75 Calls at $0.37 Credit and I moved the strike price up $2.50.
The stock is up 6% today on a ratings upgrade.

Bought to close VXX Dec 24 2020 20.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 31 2020 20.5 Puts at $0.20 Credit.
Bought to close VXX Dec 24 2020 20.0 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 31 2020 20.0 Puts at $0.23 Credit.
Done with this week’s VXX Trades

Sold 1 CINF 01/15/2021 90.0 Diagonal Call @ 1.10. Sold against a March 95 long call already held.
An unexplained 4 point explosion this morning in the stock.

Still trying to make back the short dividend loss from Monday’s early assignment.
Bought to Open 1 SPY Jan 29 2021 385 Call Net Credit / Sold to Open 1 SPY Dec 24 2020 367 Call at $0.22 Credit.

I have both a 370 and 372 short call expiring tomorrow.

An early roll because Thursday may be an illiquid day to trade.
Bought to close SLB Dec 24 2020 20.5 Calls / Sold to Open SLB Dec 31 2020 20.5 Calls @ $0.20 Credit with SLB at 21.37.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/vix-curve-suggest-caution-virus-risks-mount

On Monday, the VIX explosion unleashed a powerful move for protection, soaring to as high as $31.46, having been range-bound between $26-$20 for much of November and December. The cause was primarily due to a virus mutation in the UK, raising concern that the central assumption of exceptional economic growth next year could turn out wrong.

IFR News points out a “kink” in the VIX futures curve for February.

“There is almost a kink on the VIX futures curve for February with the curve between February and July a saucer shape that is flat.”

Sold VXX 12/31/2020 23.0 Calls @ 0.23.
Paired off with the Puts I rolled earlier today

Looks like this week’s VIX spike has run out of gas, so rolling these early.
Bought to close VXX Dec 24 2020 22.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 31 2020 22.5 Puts at $0.16 Credit.
Bought to close VXX Dec 24 2020 21.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 31 2020 21.5 Puts at $0.20 Credit.

SPY 12/21/2020 371.0 Diagonal Call

Sold VXX Dec 24 2020 21.00 Calls at $0.21
Sold VXX Dec 24 2020 22.00 Calls at $0.15
Sold VXX Dec 24 2020 22.50 Calls at $0.12

VXX= 18.50

Bought to Open SPY Jan 25 2021 385.0 Call / Sold to Open SPY Dec 28 2020 370.0 Call @ 0.31 Credit.
I have a short SPY 371.0 call expiring today as well.

Sold to Open 1 SPY Dec 23 2020 370.0 Call at $1.15.
This replaces an SPY short call that expired Friday.

I also have a short SPY 371.0 Call that I sold Friday at $1.03 about to go to a penny that is expiring today.

Starting with Diagonal Spreads. Would take the stock at the short strike and hold the protective put as cheap insurance.
(Also the spread requirements in a retirement account are much lower than straight short puts)

Bought to Open INTC Mar 19 2021 22.5 Puts/ Sold to Open INTC Dec 24 2020 43.5 Puts at $0.02 Credit.
Bought to Open INTC Mar 19 2021 27.5 Puts / Sold to Open INTC Dec 31 2020 43.5 Puts at $0.12 Credit.

INTC YTD Low = 43.61

Bought to open VXX Jan 15 2021 40.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 20.0 Calls @ 0.07 Credit
Bought to open VXX Jan 15 2021 42.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 20.50 Calls @ 0.07 Credit.
Bought to open VXX Jan 15 2021 41.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 20.50 Calls @ 0.07 Credit.
I still have more short Puts to pair up against.

Extended my Covered Call Ladder out 3 weeks with the expiration of the strike 30.0 Covered Calls on Friday.
Sold WFC 01/08/2021 30.50 Covered Calls @ 0.62

Sold 1 SQQQ 12/24/2020 17.50 Covered Call @ 0.15.

Sold to Open 1 WBA Jan 08 2021 42.0 Covered Call @ $1.15.
Replaces a covered Call that expired Friday

Bought to open VXX Jan 15 2021 45.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 20.0 Calls @ 0.15 Credit
Bought to open VXX Jan 15 2021 44.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 20.0 Calls @ 0.13 Credit.
Paired off with short 20.0 Diagonal Put spreads already in the account.

Going to be a fun day.

Glad to be coming into this week with no VXX short Calls

Friggin’ Dividend
ASSIGNED as of 12/17/2020 CALL (SPY) SPDR S&P 500 ETF DEC 18 20 $360
ASSIGNED as of 12/17/2020 CALL (SPY) SPDR S&P500 ETF DEC 21 20 $341
ASSIGNED as of 12/17/2020 CALL (SPY) SPDR S&P500 ETF DEC 23 20 $350
Covered the short stock @ 369, 368.50 and 368.
Sold new calls
Sold 1 SPY 12/18/2020 371.0 Call @ 0.32 (expires today)
Sold 1 SPY 12/21/2020 371.0 Call @ 1.03 (expires Monday)
Sold 1 SPY 12/23/2020 372.0 Call @ 1.33 (expires Wednesday)

Seems like institutions are front running the TSLA SP500 inclusion.
Up big in a down market.
New All-time High I believe

Rolled the other half of the 40.50 covered calls with WBA @ 40.98
Bought to close WBA Dec 18 2020 40.5 Call / Sold to Open WBA Dec 31 2020 41.0 Call at $0.48 Credit and added 0.50 to the strike price.

Bought to close to Close VXX Dec 18 2020 21.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 21.5 Puts @ 0.10 Credit.
Bought to close to Close VXX Dec 18 2020 20.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 20.5 Puts @ 0.15 Credit.

Just before the Fed announcement in case things got crazy:
Bought to Open VXX Jan 15 2021 41.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 18 2020 18.0 Calls @ 0.02 Credit.
The short is very easy to roll up but I don’t think I’ll need to.
I do expect I’ll have some free longs by Friday that I can write against several more times.

Rolled half my covered calls in this account. Letting the rest run until Friday so I can possibly get my highest cost lot called away.
Bought to close WBA Dec 18 2020 40.5 Calls / Sold to Open WBA Dec 24 2020 41.0 Calls @ 0.13 Credit.
Raised the strike price as well.

Early Roll to next week
Bought to close to Close VXX Dec 18 2020 22.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 22.5 Puts @ 0.15 Credit.

Bought to close to Close ADS Dec 18 2020 70.5 Calls / Sold to Open ADS Dec 24 2020 72.5 Calls @ 0.10 Credit but bumped the strike up 2 points, and above the current stock price.
Illiquid options make this one tough to trade.
I’ll be looking to exit anything in this stock as soon as it makes sense.

EXPIRED:
SPY 12/11/2020 370/380 Bear Call Spread
VXX 12/11/2020 19.50 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/11/2020 20.00 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/11/2020 20.50 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/11/2020 17.00 Diagonal Puts

ASSIGNMENTS:
AAL 12/11/2020 15.00 Covered Call (Stock cost 9.86 on the Covid19 dive this spring)

Bought to close VXX 12/11/2020 17.50 Diagonal Puts @ 0.01. They won’t trade any lower.
This was a pretty big position so I’m happy to pay the penny. Sold last Friday on a rolldown @ 0.95.

Also closed VXX Dec 11 2020 18 Calls at $0.08 (sold @ 0.17 & at 0.23)
Replaced them with short VXX Dec 18 2020 23 Calls @ 0.20 for a 0.12 Credit Plus 5 BIG points higher on the short strike.
(I wish Put rolls were this easy for just one more week.)

The VIX is all over the map today
Above 25 in the pre-market
Then down under 23 early
Then above 25 midday
Now down to 23 again.
Whew!!

I’m already short the puts for next week so I’m adding the calls to create Iron Condor Calendar spreads
Sold VXX 12/18/2020 21.0 Diagonal Calls @ 0.35
Sold VXX 12/18/2020 21.5 Diagonal Calls @ 0.32
Sold VXX 12/18/2020 22.0 Diagonal Calls @ 0.29

11/24 Bought to Open VXX Jun 18 2021 8.0 Puts / Sold VXX Dec 04 2020 17.0 Puts @ 0.06 Credit.
12/04 Bought to close VXX Dec 04 2020 17 Puts at $0.02. Rolled to VXX Dec 11 2020 16 Puts at $0.10.
Today covered the VXX Dec 11 2020 16 Puts at $0.01.
They won’t trade any lower.

Adding the now “Free” VXX June 2021 puts to my growing portfolio of these with 190 Days to expiration (DTE)

Unmanned SpaceX Starship Flight Test Ends In Massive Fireball

Bought to open VXX Jan 15 2021 48.0 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 18.0 Calls @ 0.02 Credit with VXX at 17.00 and with less than 2 1/2 days until the expiration of the short.

With all the short puts I have, I would welcome a move to the short strike by Friday. The 5-day high on VXX is 17.57 though.

Bought to Close VXX Dec 11 2020 22.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 18 2020 22.5 Puts at $0.13 Credit.
Bought to Close VXX Dec 11 2020 21.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 18 2020 21.5 Puts at $0.17 Credit.
Bought to Close VXX Dec 11 2020 20.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 18 2020 20.5 Puts at $0.22 Credit.
Squeezed all the time premium out of this week’s positions.
Someday the market will correct.

Bought to close WBA Dec 11 2020 40.5 Call / Sold to Open WBA Dec 18 2020 41.0 Call @ $0.12 Credit.
Finally worked the covered call strike up above my highest stock cost of 40.93 from 08/17/2020

Rolling my long up and out
Sold to Close SPY Dec 18 2020 355 Calls / Bought to Open SPY Jan 15 2021 370 Calls @ $7.43 Credit.
Taking a large gain on the December long position and getting extra cash while maintaining my hedge on near term shorts.

Bought to Close WFC Dec 11 2020 28 Calls / Sold to Open WFC Dec 31 2020 29 Calls at $0.14 Credit.
Did this a bit early in the week because of the sharp opening down.

Stretched pretty thin up here

Bought to open TSLA Jan 15 2021 1,000 Call / Sold to open TSLA Dec 11 2020 670 Call @ 0.67 Credit.

Hoping to pick up a free long call going into TSLA being added to the S&P500 on the 21st.

EXPIRED:
VXX 12/04/2020 18.50 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/04/2020 20.00 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/04/2020 20.50 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/04/2020 21.00 Diagonal Calls
VXX 12/04/2020 21.50 Diagonal Calls

GILD 12/04/2020 58.0 Short Put
INTC 12/04/2020 45.0 Short Put

ASSIGNMENTS:
INTC 12/04/2020 47.50 Covered Call (Stock cost 45.51 plus got the last dividend)

Bought to close VXX Dec 04 2020 17 Puts Net Credit at $0.02.
Sold these on 11/24, 11/25, and 11/27 at 0.28, 0.27 and 0.44.

Replaced them with an equal number of short VXX Dec 11 2020 16 Puts at $0.10.

Done for the day.

Bought to close to Close SPY Dec 04 2020 367.0 Call / Sold to Open SPY Dec 11 2020 370.0 Call at $0.25 Credit plus 3 more points on the short strike and above the all-time high set earlier today.

Bought to Close VXX Dec 04 2020 18 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 17.5 Puts at $0.02 Credit
Sold the 18.0 puts at $1.05 while rolling down the 18.50 puts for a 0.19 credit last Friday and covered those this morning at $0.93.
So in 2 weekly rolls I’ve lowered the short strike a full point while still taking in a bit more $CASH

Bought to Open VXX Mar 19 2021 55 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 18 2020 20 Calls $0.03 Credit.

With the long calls out in March, there will be multiple opportunities to sell against it.

We don’t need no stinkin’ badges

…… I mean Amazon drugs

Bought to Close VXX Dec 04 2020 22.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 22.5 Puts at $0.07 Credit.
Bought to Close VXX Dec 04 2020 21.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 21.5 Puts at $0.12 Credit.
Bought to Close VXX Dec 04 2020 20.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 20.5 Puts at $0.18 Credit.
Bought to Close VXX Dec 04 2020 20.0 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 20.0 Puts at $0.19 Credit.

Bringing in some $CASH and buying more time.

Is this market EVER going to pull back???

Since March the 50 Day MA has acted as resistance. Now the stock is above the 50Day. Hopefully it will now act as support.

Bought to close all of my VXX Dec 04 2020 16.00 Diagonal puts @ 0.01. They won’t trade any lower.

On 11/27 I sold these while buying VXX Jun 21 2021 6.0 Puts @ 0.03 Credit. So now I’m left with more “free” long puts with 198 days until expiration.

Normal Contango drift down in VXX should take care of the long position.
Or consider it a lottery ticket.

Will repeat this kind of trade for next week too.

Bought to Close 1 SPY Dec 02 2020 358 Call / Sold to Open 1 SPY Dec 09 2020 359 Call @ 0.45 Credit plus a 1 point higher strike.

At some point I’m going to have to roll my long Dec 18 2020 355.0 calls forward.

To balance out a large number of short put spreads, turning them into Condors.
Bought to Open VXX Jan 15 2021 43 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 19.5 Calls at $0.07 Credit.
Bought to Open VXX Jan 15 2021 45 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 20 Calls at $0.08 Credit.
Bought to Open VXX Jan 15 2021 50 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 20.5 Calls at $0.07 Credit.

Bought to Open VXX Jan 15 2021 55 Calls / Sold to Open VXX Dec 04 2020 18.5 Calls at $0.02 Credit.

Sold 1 SPY 12/04/2020 367.0 Call / Bought 1 SPY 12/14/2020 380.0 Call @ 1.72 Credit.
SPY at 365.80

Bought to close WBA 12/04/2020 40.50 Covered Calls @ 0.10. Sold these on 11/27 @ 0.29.
Replaced them with short WBA 11/11/2020 40.50 Covered Calls @ 0.32.
WBA is at 38.90

Running in a weak market up to 48.00
The last rung of my INTC 45 put ladder expires Friday

Off topic
First snow of the season in the Ohio valley today.
Fires and hot chocolate tonight

Expiring:
VXX 11/27/2020 21.0 Diagonal Calls
VXX 11/27/2020 21.5 Diagonal Calls
VXX 11/27/2020 22.0 Diagonal Calls
VXX 11/27/2020 22.5 Diagonal Calls
VXX 11/27/2020 23.0 Diagonal Calls

INTC 11/27/2020 45.0 Short Put
GILD 11/27/2020 58.00 Short Put
T 11/27/2020 26.00 Short Put

Everything else was rolled out.
Done for today.

Bought to close INTC Nov 27 2020 47 Call / Sold to Open INTC Dec 04 2020 47.5 Call at $0.17 Credit plus another $0.50 on the short strike.
I’m not ready to give away this stock just yet.

Bought to Close VXX Nov 27 2020 17.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 04 2020 17.0 Puts at $0.09 Credit and lowered the strike 0.50.