Saturday, November 23, 2024
“Options are the same as stocks, just cheaper!” Ever heard a pitch start like that? Well, it’s wrong. Crazy wrong. Options trade much differently than stocks, and thus why it’s easier to lose money with options. (and this is coming from a 20+ year options trader). One key difference is options use of “implied volatility.” […]
One thing that I’ve learned in the many years that I’ve traded options is that most investors hate hedging. It’s not the idea of hedging (i.e., protecting a portfolio’s downside) that’s the issue. It’s the cost. Hedging can be expensive over time. Investors generally are not fans of things that are meant to lose money […]
What’s my favorite moving average? It’s not too volatile… but also the juiciest trends are found in this timeframe. When prices break above it, I’m buying. When it drops below, I’m staying away. Since early 2020, this moving average worked well for getting in and getting out of stocks. We’re in a choppy market so […]
I published this article five years ago. Sadly, things seem to be getting worse. The message is even more important today. Those who think and act independently will always survive. Today is a real downer. We just finished a wonderful week with our youngest grandchildren. They’re now gone and the house is quiet. That’s not […]
The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) is a very popular product that tracks the performance of small cap stocks. While it trades over 500,000 contracts on average per day, there are some interesting block trades that hit the tape now and then in IWM options. In this case, a 26,000 block of March covered calls […]
Covered calls are popular and powerful trading strategies for many reasons. Above all else, an overwriting system can work in just about any type of market. There aren’t many strategies that offer a benefit in most market environments. As a reminder, investors make covered calls when they buy a stock (in blocks of 100 shares) […]
Options can make even the most mundane trade more exciting. The flexibility of options, especially when using spreads (combinations of buying or selling calls and puts), can allow for all kinds of creativity when designing strategies. Plus, the leverage inherent in options can quickly make the return (or loss) potential of a trading strategy a […]
To see exactly how I’m trading this opportunity using options… Click the link below. In under 6 minutes, you’ll have a chance to watch over my shoulder as I make this trade. I’ll even show you what buttons to click in your account. These trades typically are only good for the next 24 hours, so […]
Honest Company (HNST), the consumer goods brand founded by actress Jessica Alba, is a recent initial public offering (IPO). HNST began trading in early May after the company sold 25.8 million shares at $16 each, raising roughly $413 million. In its first day of action, HNST’s stock opened at $21.22, with the high hitting $23.88 […]
Click the video above to see this weeks Serge Berger weekly options trade.
