Option Block 600: SNAP Straddles and Earnings Bets

Published: March 7, 2017, 7:37 p.m.

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Trading Block: OCC announced that total cleared contract volume in February was 333,411,251 contracts, 1% from February 2016 volume. Index options volume was up 11% with 39,247,030 contracts in February. An escalating broker price war has begun.

Odd Block: Puts trade in iShares Iboxx $High Yield Corp (HYG), calls trade in NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) and calls trade in Dicks Sporting Goods (DKS).

Mail Block: Options #QuestionOfTheWeek #Oscars Edition.

#WarrenBeatty screwed up Best Picture. What\'s your biggest #Options screwup?

  • 37% - Held onto shorts too long
  • 37% - Time Decay killed me
  • 11% - Gamma Exploded In My Face
  • 15% - Vega Snuck up on My Delta

Listener replies:

  • Comment from Matt Benson - Calls in TSLA last week, lol (in response to OQOTW)
  • Comment from John Dakota - Too soon to tell. My one mistake was putting an Iron Butterfly on wrong had to lose 20 and a DT for it. Just took off BBY for 200+!

#QuestionOfTheWeek, part deux

SNAP #Options arrive Friday. Assuming $SNAP is still $25 - price the 1-week straddle exp. 3/17 (aka how much movement)

  • Between $1 - $2
  • Between $2 - $3
  • Between $3 - $4
  • Over $4

Listener questions and comments:

  • Question from Hopgrower - Mark and The meatball, love your shows. My question is as follows: How much heart burn does this thought process give you. I have a directional bias and I buy a slightly in the money call 45 to 60 days out. The stock moves in my favor then stalls or retraces slightly. I then turn it into a vertical. Please fire away. Always learning. Thanks, Hopgrower
  • Question from Tom Drake - Whats up with Mike\'s SLV collar?
  • Question from Sean - You have discussed closing positions prior to earnings on past shows. Why would I take an OTM options off the table before the announcement? Is that not exactly when I want to have the option?

Around the Block:/This Week in the Market:

  • Mar 6: Factory Orders
  • Mar 7: International Trade
  • Mar 8: Productivity and Costs
  • Mar 9: Jobless Claims
  • Mar 10: Unemployment
  • Mar 10: Export Prices
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