Options premium income. How much is too little?

Discussion in 'Options' started by allamut2009, Oct 10, 2017.

  1. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    I have managers and clients selling index options earning well over 1% per month. Of course they will likely lose money the next big drop.
     
    #11     Oct 10, 2017
  2. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    Yield to maturity annualized.
     
    #12     Oct 10, 2017
  3. How it can be annualized with monthly maturity?
     
    #13     Oct 10, 2017
  4. just21

    just21

    My 150% of premium to margin example came from using weeklies.
     
    #14     Oct 10, 2017
  5. ironchef

    ironchef

    Have you ever owned any T-bills?
     
    #15     Oct 10, 2017
  6. tommcginnis

    tommcginnis

    Nailed it. (":thumbsup:")

    In particular, the OP does not mention actual liability -- what dollars are put up for risk?
    Is this a sold naked option? Or a spread of $____ width?
    The question in not answerable as it stands.

    Howsomeever, I used to describe selling vertical spreads like this:
    5%/week -- Heart Attack City
    4%/week -- CBOE
    3%/week -- Indianapolis (for the hometown crowd)
    2%/week -- Asheville (roughly 500 miles SSE Indianapolis, vacation-y, but still connected)
    1%/week -- Key West (another leg SSE, describing a nice straight line spectrum...straight to Margaritaville)

    That was back in the day when a VIX below 13 was a big deal.

    In 2017, 1% (what I've done this past year) feels really freaking AGGRESSIVE. (":wtf::vomit::wtf::wtf::vomit::wtf:").
    As a measure of prudence vs engagement, how many times can you roll troubled positions?
    If you start with $32,000, but only engage $1,000, you can double 5 times. 5 "parachutes". It doesn't take much imagination to turn that little metric into ~1% weekly return which, in a land of sub10 VXSTs, is........ really freaking AGGRESSIVE. [":wtf::vomit::wtf:"]²

    "...Back in the day," weeklys provided fairly reliable income.
    In 2017, I have learned to let some weeks "go by" (i.e., go unwritten); I have dipped into (debit) calendars; I have worked on analytic tools, ordered math books off eBay, written to old friends, GONE OUT TO LUNCH.

    In 2017, you've got to understand that 1% is a pretty fair return.

    {wiping brow, stuffing hanky into pocket, stepping down off stump...}
     
    #16     Oct 10, 2017
    raf_bcn likes this.
  7. Everything in the world of rates and bonds and such is annualized by convention. Makes things easier for everyone.
     
    #17     Oct 10, 2017
  8. RedDuke

    RedDuke

    Ah, what a wonderful thing it would be to have 12% per year, risk free :)
     
    #18     Oct 10, 2017
    viruscore1 likes this.
  9. no, plz explain
     
    #19     Oct 10, 2017
  10. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    Bought my first T-bill last month. Did the 4 week one with cash in my savings account. Will rebuy the next auction until I stop it.
     
    #20     Oct 10, 2017