The days leading up to a stocks earnings announcement is highly volatile period. Anticipation is at a fever pitch high. Many people are speculating what will happen to the stock and how the earnings call will go. I often IM my trading buddies and ask what they think will happen after the earnings call announcement. Will the stock: Beat Earnings/Stock Increases Beat Earnings/Stock Decreases Miss Earnings/Stock Increases Miss Earnings/Stock Decreases I also use the website www.earningsvote.com. Earningsvote.com is a site where traders can vote on what they think will happen to a stock price after is quarterly earnings announcements. So go to the site and vote and tell all your trading buddies to vote also. The more votes the better. I feel its best to trade defined risk options before and earnings announcement. Buy a long put if you feel the stock will decrease or a long call if you believe it will increase. A long straddle is best if you believe there will be a huge price movement, but are unsure of the direction. A long straddle is long 1 call and long 1 put at the same strike price and expiration and on the same stock. A long strangle is long 1 call at a higher strike and long 1 put at a lower strike in the same expiration and on the same stock. Such a position makes money if the stock price moves up or down well past the strike prices of the strangle. Long straddles have defined risk but unlimited profit potential. Basically, a long straddle is a good options strategy for a stock that has the potential for huge swings.