Shows / The Option Block
The Option Block
The Option Block All-Star Panel breaks down the latest developments in the options market, analyzes unusual options activity, explains cutting-edge options strategies, answers listener questions and much more. Whether you're an active options trader or just getting started in the options market, The Option Block will keep you informed and entertained.
Episodes
The Option BlockOption Block 455: The Peril of Legging Spreads
Trading Block: Our special guest today is Vlad Karpel, Founder of Tradespoon. Dow jumps triple digits; oil recovery boosts energy 2%. How should investors play…
The Option BlockOption Block 454: Why the Heck Are You Closing?
Trading Block: Stocks getting crushed post-earnings. Disney - stock closed @ $121 prior to earnings on 8/4. ATM straddle $4.10 or 3.4%. Stock off over 10% in…
The Option BlockOption Block 453: Steak with a Side of Lobster
Trading Block: Thanks to everyone that came out last week to our live show! We had a wonderful seeing all of our listeners in person. Earnings today after the…
The Option BlockOption Block 451: What Happens When We Go Live?
Trading Block: Still in the thick of earnings season. LNKD straddle going out at over $25. Talking FB, VIX. Trading the Sebastian bottom. The introduction of…
The Option BlockOption Block 451: Chinese Implosion
Trading Block: China meltdown. Chinese equities have suffered the sharpest one-day crash in eight years. Earnings: Bidu, Facebook, Twitter, Exxon Mobil. Will…
The Option BlockOption Block 450: Earnings Madness Continues
Trading Block: Earnings! MSFT: $47.28 on earnings. Straddle: $2.40 / 5%. Opens down approx. $2. Microsoft lost 3.7 percent after posting its largest-ever…
The Option BlockOption Block 449: Earnings Surprises Aplenty
Trading Block: In which we feature special guest co-host: Fred Ruffy from Trade Alert Earnings Today: Before the Bell: Morgan Stanley, Haliburton, Hasbro…
The Option BlockOption Block 448: Slings and Arrows of Umbrage
Trading Block: GOOG after the bell. ATM Straddle: Approx. $21 - a 3.5% move. Last earnings: 19 handle move from close to open, approx. 3.5%. Volume: Approx. 3x…
The Option BlockOption Block 447: VIX Apocalypse Redux
Trading Block: July and the VIX weigh heavily on the S&P. U.S. stocks rise after Greece reaches an agreement with creditors. Netflix hits new high price in…
The Option BlockOption Block 446: Getting Into Trouble with Unusual Activity
Trading Block: What glitch? Competition eases NYSE shut-down. Fed increase are little more than a coin flip for derivative traders. Apple stock chart points to…
The Option BlockOption Block 445: Pricing Straddles at the Nasty Point
Trading Block: CBOE and C2 Options Exchange total trading volume up 16% in June. Surge in Europe stock options volume shows race to hedge Greece. A few dozen…
The Option BlockOption Block 444: Return of the Flowmaster
Today we have Special Guest Star Henry Schwartz from Trade Alert Trading Block: Jobs data disappoints. OCC cleared contract volume grew 4% in June. Tesla…
The Option BlockOption Block 443: Revenge of the Gyro
Trading Block: Dow falls 225 points, in the red for the year amid Greece; VIX spikes 24%. Biggest one-day loss since 2011 for European stocks as Greek crisis…
The Option BlockOption Block 442: What to Do During Extended Stock Halts
Trading Block: A Greek deal drives the rally ho! Dow briefly adds 150 points, NASDAQ sets intraday high on Greece hopes. Crude and gold both drop - gold off…
The Option BlockOption Block 441: Bring in the Punt Team
Trading Block: Rally ho on the street. Fitbit IPO prices at $20 a share, above expectations. Fitbit Inc., the maker of wearable fitness-tracking devices…
The Option BlockOption Block 440: Lions, Tigers and Bears. Oh, My!
Trading Block: Trade bodies urge regulators to sort out derivatives reporting. Stocks to watch: CVS, Lumber Liquidators, Actavis. CBOE extends VIX and SPX…
The Option BlockOption Block 439: Rise of the Delta Neutraler
Trading Block: Apples big meeting is a loser for investors - the Apple (AAPL) faithful are breathlessly awaiting the company's latest announcements at its…
The Option BlockOption Block 438: Newsletter Huckster Front-Runs Himself
Trading Block: Down day on the market: weekend coming in; selloff. TSLA up $7, but why? What is going on with Greece? If they can get out of their debt, why…
The Option BlockOption Block 437: Are Oil Puts Too Cheap
Trading Block: A pronounced selloff across the market today. The IMF calls out the Fed - says rates should be not raised until 2016. Goldman is long puts in…
The Option BlockOption Block 436: The Most Shameful Odd Block Yet
Trading Block: Embrace options in the TWTR stock fire sale. Intel to buy Altera in nearly $17B cash deal. Euronext to launch volatility contracts. Odd Block…
The Option BlockOption Block 435: The Dark Heart of the Soul
Trading Block: Wall Street is using the power of Dodd-Frank against itself. Shake Shacks (SHAK) unhedgeable risk. Chipotle (CMG) stock rallying following…
The Option BlockOption Block 434: Buy SPY Calls and Go Away
Option Block 434: Buy SPY Calls and Go Away Trading Block: Buying SPY for the summer. The absence of fear - How low can the VIX go? Stocks rise to near…
The Option BlockOption Block 433: New Competitor for the Volatility Crown
Trading Block: Icahn says "dramatically undervalued" Apple should trade at $240. AccuShares is set to list a couple of interesting products on Tuesday…
The Option BlockOption Block 432: Brazen Illegal Activity in AVP
Trading Block: Rally ho on the market today. Is Avon in play? Stock halted after rallying over 20%. ADV 11k contracts - today over 75k! Avon Products Inc. said…
The Option BlockOption Block 431: Why Is No One Trading Options?
Trading Block: OPEC: Oil prices to stay below $100 for next decade. April U.S. options volume at 327.6m, down from March as spreads tighten. Highlights from…
The Option BlockOption Block 430: Shaken, Not Stirred
Trading Block: Bond, James Bond. A bullish bond market rally could be in our future. VIX going into Non-Farm Payroll - could we see a big move? Odd Block: Puts…
The Option BlockOption Block 429: Avenging Pacquiao
Option Block 429: Avenging Pacquiao Trading Block: Bonds taking it on the chin. Disney stock soars, lifted by the superhero power of The Avengers. CBOE reports…
The Option BlockOption Block 428: The Thorax of the Trade
Option Block 428: The Thorax of the Trade Trading Block: Tattoo snafu inks Apple iWatch wearers. Options volume slid in first quarter. Bad sign? Retail…
The Option BlockOption Block 427: Rocking AAPL Earnings
Option Block 427: Rocking AAPL Earnings Trading Block: AAPL earnings after the bell. AAPL Stats: · ATM weekly straddle: $7.20 - approx 5.4%. · ADV: 988K…
The Option BlockOption Block 426: Hedging Crude Oil Is Not Rocket Science
Option Block 426: Hedging Crude Oil Is Not Rocket Science Trading Block: NASDAQ composite rises above March 2000 record close. Roots of 'flash crash' go back…
The Option BlockOption Block 425: Scratching Heads & Taking Names
Option Block 425: Scratching Heads & Taking Names Trading Block: A mild day on the street. IBM Earnings after the bell today - IBM trading around $164.30…
The Option BlockOption Block 424: NFLX and the Roll to Oblivion
Option Block 424: NFLX and the Roll to Oblivion Trading Block: The "Widowmaker" rides again - NFLX has a HUGE post-earnings rally, up $56. BATS to file for…
The Option BlockOption Block 423: Unusual Activity Palooza
Option Block 423: Unusual Activity Palooza Trading Block: How traders cashed in big on the GE deal. VIX does record volume - it’s been a while. Odd Block…
The Option BlockThe Great Derivatives Guessing Game
TRADING BLOCK Crazy realized volatility going down in Hong Kong markets - EWH. The Apple Watch release. Its time for the "Global Derivatives" guessing game…
The Option BlockOption Block 421: The Tesla Options Protection Package
Option Block 421: The Tesla Options Protection Package Trading Block: A sea of green on the street today. Tesla having its best day in five months - Back over…
The Option BlockOption Block 420: Farewell to the Viceroy
Option Block 420: Farewell to the Viceroy Trading Block: A sea of green in the market today - everything up! Wall Street regulator fears up for labor fight…
The Option BlockOption Block 419: The Great Weekly Option Trading Debate
Option Block 419: The Great Weekly Option Trading Debate Trading Block: The market off just a fraction. Call option trades target return of $100 US crude oil…
The Option BlockOption Block 418: Something Has To Work
Option Block 418: Something Has To Work Trading Block: Earnings before the bell today: Geopark (GPRK) Posts Quarterly Earnings Results, Beats Estimates By…
The Option BlockOption Block 417: Big Boy AAPL and Crazy VIX Settlement
Option Block 417: Big Boy AAPL and Crazy VIX Settlement Trading Block: The Dow welcomes Apple. Informed traders prefer options says academic research. Options…
The Option BlockOption Block 416: Blasting Out Cheap XLE Puts
Option Block 416: Blasting Out Cheap XLE Puts Trading Block: Rally ho on the street! Options traders are starting to pay up for crash protection, according to…
The Option BlockOption Block 415: How to Play the Lottery
Option Block 415: How to Play the Lottery Trading Block: Nasdaq enters energy futures trading to compete with CME, ICE. Lumber Liquidators’ stock soars after…
The Option BlockOption Block 414: The Princess Bride Fed
Option Block 414: The Princess Bride Fed Trading Block: A mild day on the street. Earnings after the bell today include: Urban Outfitters and Qihoo 360…
The Option BlockOption Block 413: When Not To Use Options
Option Block 413: When Not To Use Options Trading Block: A quiet day on the street today. ISE preps third options exchange. Expect more volatility in oil says…
The Option BlockOption Block 412: Sneaky Deltas
Option Block 412: Sneaky Deltas Trading Block: Earnings after the bell today: Caesars Entertainment: Late to the party but still a star. Nasdaq hits 5000…
The Option BlockOption Block 411: Futures Traders vs. Stock Traders
Option Block 411: Futures Traders vs. Stock Traders Trading Block: Earnings today include: (Before the Bell) Kohl’s, 3d Systems Corp, SeaWorld Entertainment…
The Option BlockOption Block 409: Talking PCLN, Crude and Pairs Trading
Option Block 409: Talking PCLN, Crude and Pairs Trading Trading Block: There is still no real agreement among Fed officials on rate hike timing. Oil cuts loss…
The Option BlockOption Block 408: Juicy Apple Puts
Option Block 408: Juicy Apple Puts Trading Block: Earnings today after the bell: AIG, Groupon, King Digital Media (Candy Crush). Earnings before the bell…
The Option BlockOption Block 407: Cracking Down on Insider Trading
Option Block 407: Cracking Down on Insider Trading Trading Block: A light day on the market. Oil rallies for third day after OPEC sees greater crude demand…
The Option BlockOption Block 406: Selling Nonsense Apple Puts
Option Block 406: Selling Nonsense Apple Puts Trading Block: Earnings today after the bell: Twitter, Amazon, LinkedIn, Activision. Traders silenced: CME to…
The Option BlockOption Block 405: Neither Rain nor Snow
Option Block 405: Neither Rain nor Snow Trading Block: Chicago digs out from under the snow. Patriots win! Sorry investors. Shake Shack shares are getting…
The Option BlockOption Block 404: Earnings Palooza: GOOG, AAPL, AMZN, BABA, F, and More
Option Block 404: Earnings Palooza: GOOG, AAPL, AMZN, BABA, F, and More Trading Block: Apple crushes it on earnings - Uncle Mike, did this change your bearish…
The Option BlockOption Block 403: Frozen Dolls and Apple Puts
Option Block 403: Frozen Dolls and Apple Puts Trading Block: Not much movement in the market today. Greek elections had little to no effect. Earnings after the…
The Option BlockOption Block 402: Yield Hunters Out In Force
Option Block 402: Yield Hunters Out In Force Trading Block: A sea of green across the board today. After the bell today: Starbucks - Time to get your Starbucks…
The Option BlockOption Block 401: Apple vs. Swiss Franc
Option Block 401: Apple vs. Swiss Franc Trading Block: Switzerland stuns markets by giving up on currency peg. Big moves in gold. The Tesla free fall: Elon…
The Option BlockOption Block 400th Episode Spectacular
Option Block 400th Episode Spectacular Our favorite episodes, listener questions and memories from 400 episodes of the Option Block. Listener Mail Palooza…
The Option BlockOption Block 399: The Gamma Rage Monster
Option Block 399: The Gamma Rage Monster Trading Block: A reversal of the selloff we saw earlier this week. Big Apple numbers. S&P 500 erases 2015 loss, euro…
The Option BlockOption Block 398: Getting Burned By Deltas
Option Block 398: Getting Burned By Deltas Trading Block: A selloff of the market today. Facebook options turning bearish on 2015 after 195% rally. Crude oil…
The Option BlockOption Block 397: 2014 Year in Review
Option Block 397: 2014 Year in Review Trading Block: Looking Back at 2014 The crash in the price of oil. The potential for Apple to move. GDP growth at 5% in…
The Option BlockOption Block 396: The Most Epic Strategy Block Ever
Option Block 396: The Most Epic Strategy Block Ever Trading Block: A shortened holiday week, so not much is moving on the street. Upside move in Taser…
The Option BlockVolatility Views 140: It All Starts with Onion Volatility
Volatility Views 140: It All Starts with Onion Volatility Volatility Review: The week in vol VIX Cash: High - 25.2, Low - 16.07. S&P: 10 day HVOL - 22, 30 day…