Below is a listing of all my QQQ weekly option trades posted LIVE to EliteTrader from August 01, 2011 to August 26, 2011. August 2011 QQQ Weekly Option Trades: Trade #1: Aug01-05 Buy QQQ 56P/57C strangle +15% QQQ options VERY expensive Trade #2: Aug08-12 Buy QQQ 52C +56% My QQQ option trade plan this week. Trade #3: Aug15-19 Buy QQQ 53P +27% QQQ OTM Call option trade - August 15-19 Trade #4: Aug15-19 Buy QQQ 53P/54C strangle +173% QQQ OTM Call option trade - August 15-19 Trade #5: Aug22-26 Buy QQQ 53/54 Bull Call Spread -59% QQQ weekly OTM option trades - 4th and final week Summary: All trades were opened on average about 20 minutes before market closed (3:40pm EST) and closed the following day about 30 minutes into the trading day (10:00am EST). If held till expiry Trades #1, #2 and #3 would have produced a P/L of +100% each, Trade #4 +300% and Trade #5 -33%. Good example of not Letting Your Profits Run, the trades were closed too early. But then hindsight is always 20/20. Compared to the Overall Market (DOW, S&P500 and NASDAQ): Trades #1 to #5: +112% commissions included Overall Market: -10% DOW, S&P500 and NASDAQ - July 27, 2011 to August 26, 2011 The market gives us Lemons, I make Lemonade --------------------------------- I put the ELITE in EliteTrader
Cool. It was a good month for these type of spreads. In 'usual' months I guess you would be more theta conservative. I hope.
Yes, but August was a rock 'n roll market....favoring option purchases despite the higher premiums. Most of the time, in calmer markets, it's best to be selling premium.
Maybe in a few months I will post another 1 month series of trades with the QQQ weekly options. I paid little attention to the option greeks. All five trades was just Options 101 - buy options and if the underlining moves enough in your favour you make money if not you lose money. That of course is debatable. Below are some of the ET members that disagree that option purchases is a good idea during market turmoil. All the comments were made after the 1st trade was completed and before the 2nd trade was closed. spreadem: "Option sellers are licking their collective chops in times like these." iceman1: "why not wait until the vola goes even higher... then you can overpay even more for the calls. let us know how that works out." athlonmank8: "You're the one walking in front of a train...." atticus: "I would be a seller of this one. Want to make a side bet on the call getting to a $0.60 print?" --------------------------------- I put the ELITE in EliteTrader
In 9 out of 10 cases they would be right, option purchase really isn't great. Unless you are hedging the underline or have excellent prediction and timing skills. I admit, I suck in both no matter how much TA I practice but I still profit more then the average buyer. Wish you a successful week