Bought to close WFC Dec 31 2020 29.0 Calls / Sold to Open WFC Jan 08 2021 29.0 Calls@ 0.23 Credit.
Author Archives: Option Iceman
GILD Put Ladder Roll
Bought to close GILD Dec 31 2020 57.0 Put / Sold to Open GILD Jan 08 2021 56.0 Put @ 0.29 Credit and lowered the strike price a point for only 1 more week.
That puts the strike price below the 52 week low.
In fact you’d have to go back to 2013 to find a lower price.
Dividend yield here is 4.80%
ADS Rollup
Bought to close ADS 12/31/2020 75.0 Diagonal Calls @ 0.25.
Sold these on another rollup last Thursday @ 0.87.
Replaced them with short ADS 01/08/2021 77.50 Diagonal Calls @ 1.00 for a Net Credit of 0.75 and I added another 2.50 to the short strike.
VXX Contango Special
Another one:
Bought to open VXX Jan 21 2022 6.0 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Jan 08 2021 16.0 Puts @ 0.12 Credit.
Short DTE = 9 (includes the holiday weekend)
Long DTE = 387
VXX at 17.05.
#VXXContango special.
GILD
Extending my Put ladder.
Bought to open GILD May 21 2021 40.0 Put / Sold to Open GILD Jan 15 2021 55.0 Put @ $0.37 Credit.
I’ve got some 56.50 and 57.00 puts expiring tomorrow that I’ll have to deal with.
BTW: new YTD low today @ 56.56. The only SP500 stock to hit a new low today.
TQQQ Diagonal
Bought to open TQQQ Feb 19 2021 90 Put / Sold to Open TQQQ Jan 08 2021 155.0 Put @ $0.32 Credit.
I’ve got a 150/190 short diagonal strangle expiring tomorrow and will have a chance to write more of these puts later on against the leftover January monthly longs.
VXX Contango Special
Bought to open VXX Jun 18 2021 9.0 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Jan 08 2021 16.0 Puts @ 0.08 Credit.
Short DTE = 9 (includes the holiday weekend)
Long DTE = 170
VXX at 17.25.
#VXXContango special.
VXX Puts – taking a gain
Liquidating the long side of some old spreads while there is still some profit there.
Sold to close VXX Jan 15 2021 $16.0 Puts @ 0.65. Average cost into the position was $0.55.
These were purchased as part of some diagonal put spreads in late summer and early October. I’ve lost count how many times I written against them but it’s a lot.
(Calculus involved in this exit = will VXX be below 15.35 in two weeks? Inquiring minds want to know)
SPY Rollup
Bought to close 1 SPY Dec 30 2020 369.0 Call / Sold to Open 1 SPY Jan 06 2021 371.0 Call @ 0.70 Credit.
Added 2 points to the short strike.
VXX Put Rolls
Using the almost 1 point move up in VXX to bring in more cash and improve the strike prices on a few, for one more week.
Bought to close VXX 12/31/2020 22.50 Puts / Sold VXX 01/08/2021 22.50 Puts @ 0.23 Credit.
Bought to close VXX 12/31/2020 21.50 Puts / Sold VXX 01/08/2021 21.50 Puts @ 0.33 Credit.
Bought to close VXX 12/31/2020 20.50 Puts / Sold VXX 01/08/2021 20.00 Puts @ 0.05 Credit plus a 0.50 lower strike.
Bought to close VXX 12/31/2020 20.00 Puts / Sold VXX 01/08/2021 19.50 Puts @ 0.10 Credit plus a 0.50 lower strike.
(This is the first chance to rolldown VXX in the money Puts that I’ve seen in a couple of weeks)
VXX Calls
Since there are no decent premiums for this week, selling some for next week.
Sold VXX Jan 08 2021 23.0 Calls from $0.25 up to $0.35.
Sold VXX Jan 08 2021 24.0 Calls from $0.22 up to $0.27.
Sold VXX Jan 08 2021 25.0 Calls from $0.19 up to $0.25.
VXX topped out at 17.76 so far today.
WBA Covered Call
Sold 1 WBA 01/08/2021 41.0 Covered Call @ 0.69.
Replaces a similar call that expired Friday.
AAL Covered Call
Sold 1 AAL 01/08/2021 17.00 Covered Call @ 0.45.
This replaces the 17.0 Call that expired Friday.
GILD Put Ladder
Keeping my Put Ladder running.
Sold to Open 1 GILD Jan 08 2021 55.5 Diagonal Put @ $0.52.
Replaces a GILD 56.50 Put that expired Friday.
#DoubleDip
TQQQ
Sold to Open TQQQ 12/31/2020 195.00 Diagonal Calls @ 0.35.
Replacing the short 185.00 Diagonal Calls that Expired Friday and paired with short 150.00 Puts sold Friday.
#DoubleDip
Happy Holidays to All the…
Happy Holidays to All the Bistro Members
GILD Ladder Rolldown
Bought to close GILD 12/24/2020 57.00 Put @ 0.02
Sold to Open GILD 01/08/2021 56.00 Put @ 0.66.
MRO
Missed this fill from yesterday
Sold MRO 01/08/2021 7.50 Covered Calls @ 0.14
SPY – New Diagonal
Replacing the short positions that expired yesterday
Bought to Open SPY Jan 29 2021 385 Call / Sold to Open SPY Dec 28 2020 368 Call at $0.12 Credit.
TQQQ Roll
Closed the Put side of my strangle and rolled down.
Bought to Close TQQQ Dec 24 2020 155 Puts at $0.01. They won’t trade any lower.
Sold these at a average price of $1.04.
Part of my #BoredToDeathTrade from last Thursday and Friday.
Sold to Open TQQQ Dec 31 2020 150 Puts at $0.54.
SPY Roll
Bought to close 1 SPY Dec 24 2020 367 Call at $0.95 – Sold on 12/22 @ $2.04
In it’s place Sold to Open 1 SPY Dec 30 2020 369 Call at $1.72 for a Net Credit of $0.77 and a 2 point higher short strike.
Options Expiration
1 SPY 12/23/2020 370.0 Diagonal Call – Sold @ 1.15
1 SPY 12/23/2020 372.0/385.0 Bear Call Spread – Sold for a net Credit of 1.07
WFC Covered Call Roll
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.
ADS Rollup
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.
VXX Contango Specials
Bought to open VXX Jun 18 2021 7 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 31 2020 16.0 Puts at $0.04 Credit.
Bought to open VXX Jun 18 2021 8 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 31 2020 16.5 Puts at $0.08 Credit.
Short DTE = 8
Long DTE = 177
VXX = 17.51
#VXXContango
VXX Put Rolls
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
CINF
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.
SPY New Diagonal
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.
SLB Covered Roll
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.
VIX
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.”
VXX Diagonal Calls
Sold VXX 12/31/2020 23.0 Calls @ 0.23.
Paired off with the Puts I rolled earlier today
VXX Put Roll
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.
GILD Put Ladder
Starting with Diagonal Spreads. Would take the stock at the short strike (or roll a few times first) 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 GILD Mar 19 2021 45.0 Put/ Sold to Open GILD Dec 24 2020 57.0 Put at $0.03 Credit.
Bought to Open GILD Mar 19 2021 45.0 Put / Sold to Open GILD Dec 31 2020 56.50 Put at $0.12 Credit.
GILD YTD Low = 57.03 (set today)
Dividend % = 4.65%
#FallingKnife
VXX small sales
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
SPY new Diagonal
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.
SPY
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.
INTC Put Ladder
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
GILD INTC
Back down and testing their YTD lows
All my earlier short puts have expired
#FallingKnife
More VXX Calls
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.
WFC Covered Ladder
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
SQQQ Covered Call
Sold 1 SQQQ 12/24/2020 17.50 Covered Call @ 0.15.
WBA Covered Call
Sold to Open 1 WBA Jan 08 2021 42.0 Covered Call @ $1.15.
Replaces a covered Call that expired Friday
VXX Calls
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.
VIX
Going to be a fun day.
Glad to be coming into this week with no VXX short Calls
VXX Contango Special
#VXXContango Special
Bought to open VXX Jan 21 2022 5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 24 2020 16.5 Puts at $0.07 Credit
Short DTE = 6
Long DTE = 399
SPY
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)
TSLA
Seems like institutions are front running the TSLA SP500 inclusion.
Up big in a down market.
New All-time High I believe
WBA Covered Call Roll
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.
VXX Put Rolls
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.
TQQQ – Calendar Condor
#BoredToDeathTrade – did a 2nd one
Buy to Open 1 TQQQ Jan 15 2021 100 Put at $0.77
Sell to Open 1 TQQQ Dec 24 2020 155 Put $1.00
Sell to Open 1 TQQQ Dec 24 2020 185 Call at $1.76
Buy to Open 1 TQQQ Jan 15 2021 220 Call at $1.14
Total Credit 0.85
VXX Puts
#VXXContango Special
Buy to Open VXX Jun 18 2021 7 Puts / Sell to Open VXX Dec 18 2020 16.5 Puts $0.04 Credit.
Short = 1 DTE
Long = 183 DTE
TQQQ – Calendar Condor
#BoredToDeathTrade
Buy to Open 1 TQQQ Jan 15 2021 100 Put at $0.87
Sell to Open 1 TQQQ Dec 24 2020 155 Put $1.08
Sell to Open 1 TQQQ Dec 24 2020 185 Call at $1.64
Buy to Open 1 TQQQ Jan 15 2021 220 Call at $1.10
Total Credit 0.75
VXX
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.
WBA Roll
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.
Markets
VXX Puts
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.
ADS early Rollup
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.
GILD
Looks like the stock is headed back down to test the Yearly low. #FallingKnife
I’ll be looking at puts to sell.
VXX Puts and Calls
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.)
VIX
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!!
VXX – creating straddles
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
VXX Contango special result
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)
Musk Inc.
Unmanned SpaceX Starship Flight Test Ends In Massive Fireball
TSLA – a profitable 2 days
A #CreditCredit trade
On Monday I Bought to open TSLA Jan 15 2021 1,000 Call / Sold to open TSLA Dec 11 2020 670 Call @ 0.67 Credit.
Closed both sides this afternoon at 7.52 Credit. Releases $33k spread requirement 2 DAYS EARLY.
Surprisingly I made more on the long side than I made on the short side even though the stock is down.
VXX Calls
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.
VXX Weekly Put rolls
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.
WBA early Rollup
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
SPY
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.
WFC Call ladder rollup
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.
Markets
TSLA flier
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.
VXX Puts – last roll
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.
SPY Rollup
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.
VXX Weekly Put roll
Bought to Close VXX Dec 04 2020 17.5 Puts / Sold to Open VXX Dec 11 2020 17.0 Puts at $0.12 Credit plus a 0.50 lower strike.
The 17.50 short puts were the short side of a #VXXContango special from 11/23.
That just leaves the Dec 04 2020 17.0 Puts left to cover. They are currently out of the money with VXX at 17.10 but I don’t think VXX stays up here into the close.
But at least I have ALL the short 12/04/2020 calls from my VXX strangles expiring today.
VXX Weekly Put roll
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

