Options for about a decade. I don't trade stocks short term much. I also don't have much interest in futures. Options work well enough for me.
Rarely single leg (long or short). Mostly vertical spreads with some other combos mixed in for flavor and hedging. IMO vertical spreads in vaious combinations allow for great trades most of the time. I do think that there are certain times in non-directional trading that you can capitalize on changes in IV and delta.
ChrisM, You mentioned you're CTA. What's your basic strategy/theory on the markets? As you're probs more familiar with futures than I am. I'd like your opinion. I'm not trying to start a debate, so anyone that wants to argue can look for a debate somewhere alse. As you see it, what are the advantages of futures/options on futures? Cheers, Cache
Cache, theory is one thing, and it is very complex, but I trade non-directional strategies now. I was trading futures for a long time, but since I got into options trading, I have never looked back. I believe that options bring tremendous opportunities, as long as you can take advantage of their real "personality". I mean to trade them effectively is to trade few-dimensionally. Futures trading is 2D, so there is no way to compare them.
That's pretty much how I felt about futures when I started studying them a while back. As an options trader there wasn't much about futures that appealed to me. I was just wondering if you'd realized something about them that I didn't. Thanks for the info.
Bit the bullet and leapt headlong into, not one, but three credit spread trades! :eek: CELG Feb 65-70 bull put spread 1.60 credit MO Mar 80-85 bull put spread 4.30 credit QCOM Feb 50-55 bull put spread 4.60 credit For better, or for worse...
Hmmm.... Didn't expect two huge jumps in a row. We'll see what the FOMC statement has in store in the near future. I think I'm holding off a bit until then.
You've now got 4 bullish positions. It would probs be in your best interest to have at least one bear. I would've recommended SHLD bear call spread earlier in the day. It tested resistance again and then fell back down. You might look at that one on monday.
SHLD entered my radar when you first brought it up a couple of weeks ago. I actually skimmed past it as I went through my watchlist today, an hour or so before close, but all I saw was the hollow green candle; the selling shadow bouncing down from resistance didn't even register! I don't know if this makes any sense, but I've spent so much looking at uptrending stock that I think my brain has become wired, to only recognise bullish opportunities (channeler's excluded). I realise that could become a very painful shortcoming...