The Options Insider Radio Network

In this episode, Mark covers the key movements in the options market for Thursday, September 18th, following the Fed's market intervention. Notably, VIX activity tallies at three-quarters of a million contracts, while SPY options explode with 13.1 million contracts due to dividend impact. SPX options also see significant action with 4.5 million contracts, while QQQ and single names like Amazon, Apple, MicroStrategy, and Palantir exhibit heightened activity. The top spot for daily activity is claimed by Intel, putting up a record-breaking 3.15 million contracts following Nvidia's $5 billion investment, resulting in a substantial stock price rally.    00:26 Welcome to the Hot Options Report 00:54 Public: Cost-Effective Options Trading 01:28 Today's Market Overview 02:03 Volatility in VIX 03:21 SPY's Explosive Activity 04:12 SPX and QQQ Highlights 05:31 Single Name Stocks: Amazon, Apple, and More 12:36 Top Performers: Nvidia and Intel 16:24 Conclusion   ----------------------------------------------------------

In this episode, Mark Longo along with co-hosts "Uncle" Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management) and Henry "The Flow Master" Schwartz (Cboe), dive deep into recent market trends and unusual options activity. They discusses significant topics such as the recent Fed rate cut, its market implications, and notable trades in companies like Krispy Kreme, Intel, and Grab Holdings. They also explore the dynamics affecting market sentiment, including the role of flex options and recent regulatory changes.    00:00 Introduction 02:37 Market Analysis and Recent Activities 05:15 Trading Block: Current Market Trends incl Fed Announcement and Market Reactions & Stock Highlights and Trading Insights 29:44 Odd Block Introduction 30:41 Krispy Kreme Options Activity 34:21 Intel's Interesting Swings 37:41 Grab Holdings Call Buyers 44:53 Mail Block: Listener Questions 51:13 Around the Block: Market Watch  

This episode delves into the world of European dividends and the specialized futures and options markets used to trade them. Host Mark Longo is joined by Dr. Russell Rhoads (Indiana University), Lorena Dishnica (Head of Dividend Products, Eurex), and Sahand Taghizadeh (Head of Investable Stocks Benchmarks, STOXX). Key Differences: Unlike the U.S. with its quarterly payments and buyback culture, Europe favors annual dividends, with a "dividend season" in spring/summer. Dividend Futures: Eurex pioneered a listed market for dividend derivatives in 2008. These products allow traders to isolate and hedge dividend risk, which is a key need for banks that issue structured products. Analyzing the Market: The most liquid contracts are the annual Decembers. They can be used to gauge the market’s fundamental outlook, as their prices are sensitive to corporate cash flow forecasts and macroeconomic events. The Curve: The European dividend futures curve often shows a downward slope, known as backwardation, reflecti

In this episode, Mark breaks down the impact of the latest Federal Reserve rate cut on various futures markets. With guest John Seguin from Market Taker Mentoring, they discuss the market's reaction to the Fed's quarter-point rate cut and subsequent hints at future rate reductions. The conversation covers the performance of various assets, including precious metals like gold and silver, as well as the volatility in agricultural products and softs such as sugar and coffee. They also delve into the broader implications for equities and interest rates, providing key levels to watch in the coming days. The episode wraps up with audience questions, tackling the complexities and unpredictabilities of trading specific futures contracts.   02:00 Welcome to the Futures Rundown 03:33 Market Analysis and Insights 04:47 Fed's Impact on the Markets 12:35 Commodity Movers and Shakers 18:54 Top 10 Most Active Contracts 20:40 Analyzing Market Momentum 22:06 Weekly Fair Price Analysis 24:36 Yearly Movers and Shakers 28:52 Fu

In this episode, Mark discusses the most active options markets for Wednesday, September 17th, also known as 'Fed Day'. Key highlights include a quarter-point rate cut by the Fed and its market implications. The report provides detailed insights into the VIX, SPY, SPX, IWM, and QQQ options markets, including their trading volumes, closing prices, and notable options contracts. Additionally, major single names such as SoFi, Snap, AMD, Amazon, Getty, Apple, Palantir, Open, Tesla, and Nvidia are analyzed for their trading activity and prominent options.    00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:54 Public: Cost-Effective Options Trading 01:39 Market Overview: Fed Day Insights 02:19 VIX: Volatility Insights 03:40 SPY: S&P 500 Analysis 04:32 SPX: S&P 500 Index Options 05:45 IWM: Small Caps Activity 06:57 QQQ: NASDAQ-100 Highlights 07:48 Single Names: Stock-Specific Options 16:12 Top Movers: Tesla and Nvidia 18:03 Conclusion  

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli discuss different options strategies such as covered calls, cash secured puts, and the wheel strategy. They also touch on the growing interest in exotic options and the role of flex options in recent volume spikes. Other topics include the importance of technical indicators for covered calls, the role of various options exchanges, and the potential for gamified options trading education. Additionally, they address listener questions ranging from the uniqueness of the options market to the practicality of using specific brokers and discussing their personal experiences in trading.   00:39 Welcome to Options Boot Camp 01:00 Tasty Trade Platform Overview 03:41 Pro Trading Crate Giveaway 07:12 Mail Call: Listener Questions 08:02 Market Reactions to Fed Announcements 11:30 Options Trading Polls and Insights 16:13 Fantasy Football and Trading 18:15 Question of the Week 22:22 Best Indicator for Covered Calls 23:58 Exotic Options Discussion 25:51 Options Trading V

On this episode Brian breaks down a GLD Butterfly: GLD SPDR Gold Trust: $338.75 (up 3.09%), GLD Long Open-Wing Butterfly: Debit Mid $3.00 Leg 1: Buy to Open, 1, 2025-09-19, Strike 345.00, PUT Leg 2: Sell to Open, 2, 2025-09-19, Strike 339.00, PUT Leg 3: Buy to Open, 1, 2025-09-19, Strike 337.00, PUT Max Risk: $300 per 1x2x1 Spread Executed Max Reward: $300 per 1x2x1 O-W Butterfly Established

In this episode of the Hot Options Report, Mark dives into the most active options trades and market activities occurring on September 16th, the first day of the Fed meeting. Key highlights include explosive trading volume in VIX options, significant activities in S&P 500 (SPX), Nasdaq (QQQ), and Russell 2000 (Small Caps). The show also breaks down heavy options trades in single names such as Wolfspeed (WOLF), BigBear.ai (BBAI), Alibaba (BABA), JD.com, Amazon (AMZN), Oracle (ORCL), OPEN, Apple (AAPL), Nvidia (NVDA), and Tesla (TSLA). Special attention is given to the imminent expiry of VIX options and the market's anticipation of the Fed's rate decision.  00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:54 Public: The Cost-Effective Way to Trade Options 01:28 Hot Options Report: VIX and SPX Analysis 04:18 SPY and Small Caps Market Activity 06:29 NASDAQ and Single Name Stock Options 07:09 Top 10 Single Name Stock Options 19:06 Conclusion and Upcoming Fed Announcement ------------------------------------------------------

In this episode of the Crypto Rundown, hosts Mark Longo and Greg Magadini from Amberdata delve into the latest trading activity, trends, and developments in the world of crypto derivatives. The podcast focuses on the significant movements in Bitcoin and Ethereum markets, including volatility, option volumes, and skew. The conversation also explores the potential impacts of the upcoming FOMC rate decision on various digital assets. Greg shares his strategy on selling volatility in Bitcoin and MicroStrategy while buying Ethereum volatility, citing potential for upside in the Ethereum ETF market. Additional discussions cover altcoins such as Solana, XRP, and Dogecoin, as well as trading activity in popular crypto-linked equities like Circle and BitMiner.    00:45 Welcome to the Crypto Rundown 01:44 Diving into Crypto Derivatives 03:32 Bitcoin Breakdown 07:47 Market Trends and Volatility 10:53 Exploring Trading Strategies 18:43 Insights on MSTU and Other Assets 22:20 Bitcoin and Ethereum Trade Analysis 23:24 Exp

This episode of the Hot Options Report, hosted by Mark Longo, delivers a comprehensive summary of the day's most explosive options activity. Kicking off a new week and with the Federal Reserve announcement on the horizon, the market saw a tale of two halves: a hot start followed by a quieter close. 00:00 Welcome 00:54 Public: Cost-Effective Options Trading 02:21 VIX Options: A Hot Day 03:25 SPY and SPX: Mixed Performance 05:10 Small Caps: Explosive Activity 07:19 The Qs: A Normal Day 07:54 Single Name Stocks: Hot Options 15:09 Tesla: Leading the Pack 17:18 Conclusion ----------------------------------------------------------------------- All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors.  Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks o

This episode kicks off the broadcast week by diving into the financial markets' current state, despite an impending Federal Reserve announcement. The hosts, Mark Longo, "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi, analyze market movements, with a focus on single-name stocks, VIX, and unusual options activity. The show includes a lively 80s trivia challenge (that quickly veers into 1930s-50s Hollywood trivia), a discussion on the Federal Reserve's potential impact, and a breakdown of trading strategies and market trends. They also touch on the absurdities of the market, such as Elon Musk's stock purchases and the speculative nature of certain "meme stocks." 00:00 Welcome 03:17 The 80s Trivia Challenge 06:16 The Trading Block: Market Analysis 09:59 Fed Speculations and Market Reactions 13:35 Tesla and AI Market Moves 21:12 Options Volume and Hot Trades 26:55 Palantir and SoFi Updates 27:16 Intel's Market Movements 27:45 Amazon and Apple Performance 28:39 Alphabet's Recent Trends 29:14 Open's M

This episode of the Hot Options Report delves into the dynamic options market, analyzing key trades and trends from Friday, September 12th. It covers significant activity in VIX, SPY, SPX, small caps, and NASDAQ, with a notable focus on single-name equities. The report counts down the top trades in the following order: #10 Righetti, #9 AMD, #8 Palantir, #7 Oracle, #6 Altria, #5 UNH, #4 Apple, #3 Open, #2 Nvidia, and #1 Tesla. It includes contract volumes, average prices, and the specifics of hot options in these segments.    00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 01:28 Explosive Options Activity: VIX and SPY 04:07 Index Roundup: SPX, Small Caps, and NASDAQ 04:45 Single Name Equities: Righetti, AMD, and Palantir 06:29 Oracle's Wild Week 07:56 Dividend Plays: Altria and UNH 10:21 Top Movers: Apple, Open, Nvidia, and Tesla 13:43 Conclusion  

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo from The Options Insider, Mark Sebastian from Option Pit, and Russell Rhoads from the University of Indiana dive deep into the latest developments in the volatility market. The trio discusses bond volatility, VIX options, and the curious behavior of the VIX ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve meeting. They also look at VIX-related ETPs and make their weekly predictions for the VIX. Timestamps [0:00] Introduction  [3:20] The volatility review: market performance and VIX analysis. [7:15] Discussion on bond volatility and the surprising calm before the Fed meeting. [12:30] VIX term structure and futures analysis. [16:45] Russell's Weekly Rundown: analysis of specific VIX options trades. [25:00] VIX options paper and trade activity. [29:00] Inverse volatility and VIX ETPs. [32:15] Discussion on a potential Fed surprise and its market impact. [36:00] The Crystal Ball: VIX predictions for the upcoming week. [40:15] Final thoughts and how to follow the

This episode of the Hot Options Report breaks down the day's most active options markets. While VIX and Qs trading was slow, major indices like SPY, SPX, and IWM saw heavy volume. The show highlights explosive single-stock action, with new names appearing on the leaderboard and a massive rally in meme stock OPEN.  Mark discusses the most popular options contracts in each market and provides insight into the potential trades and risks involved. Timestamps: [00:00] VIX [02:00] SPY [03:00] SPX [03:40] IWM [04:20] QQQ [05:20] (10) WBD [06:30] (9) Micron [07:20] (8) Intel [08:15] (7) AMD [09:00] (6) Baba [09:50] (5) Apple [10:50] (4) Oracle [12:20] (3) Nvidia [13:10] (2) Tesla [14:00] (1) OPEN ----------------------------------------------------------------------- All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not inves

This episode breaks down the week's trading activity in the futures and options markets with Mark Longo and Carley Garner (DeCarley Trading). The show covers the week's biggest movers and shakers, analyzes the latest trends in energy and metals volatility, and dives into specific options flows in Nat Gas, Crude Oil (WTI), and Platinum. Mark also chats with guest Carley about her outlook on energy markets. Timestamps: [00:00] Intro [06:30] Movers and Shakers Report [09:30] CVOL Movers and Shakers [14:15] Energy: Nat Gas [19:00] WTI Crude Oil Options [22:00] Metals: Platinum [25:30] Final Thoughts

On this episode of The Option Block, Mark is joined by Henry Schwartz (Cboe) and Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management) as they cover a day of significant market moves, with the S&P 500 hitting new all-time highs despite mixed economic data. The panel discusses the latest news from the Robinhood Summit, including new trading features. They dive into unusual options activity, particularly the explosive trading in meme stock Open, and analyze other notable trades in names like Vimeo, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, and Teck Resources. The show concludes with a look ahead at what to watch in the markets and a nod to the start of fantasy football season. Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction [05:22] The Trading Block - Market Overview [09:00] The Robinhood Summit [16:45] Hot Option Activity [22:05] The Odd Block - Open (OPEN) [25:50] Odd Block - Vimeo (VMEO) & Recursion Pharma (RXRX) [28:40] Odd Block - Teck Resources (TECK) [31:05] The Mail Block [33:55] Around the Block [36:00] Closing Rem

In this one-year anniversary episode of The Futures Rundown, host Mark Longo celebrates a year of exploring the futures markets. He begins with a brief look back at the show's origins and then dives into the "Trading Pit" segment. This week's top five movers include gains in Midwest Steel, Ultra T-Bond, Coffee, FCOJ, and Dry Whey, while Cash Settled Butter, Rough Rice, Platinum, Ethanol, and the VIX saw declines. Mark notes a surprisingly robust trading day with high volume, highlighting the most active contracts in a mixed market. For the special anniversary segment, he reviews the top and bottom performers over the past year, with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum leading the gains, and agricultural and dairy products like OJ and Cash Settled Butter seeing significant losses. The episode concludes with the "Futures Free for All" Q&A, where a listener asks about the "60/40 thing" in futures. Mark explains Section 1256 contracts and their favorable tax treatment, providing an example of how the 6

On this episode of The Hot Options Report, Mark Longo provides a rundown of the most active options contracts for Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Despite a mixed market day, options volume was surprisingly high. The report covers major indices like VIX, SPY, SPX, IWM, and QQQ, noting significant call and put activity and the prevalence of spreads. The second half of the show is a countdown of the top 10 single-name stocks with the most options volume, featuring a wide range of companies from technology and utilities to a surprise showing from Oracle following a strong earnings report. The report highlights specific strikes, prices, and volumes for the most traded options in each name. Time Stamps 0:00 - Welcome to the show 1:25 - VIX 2:40 - SPY  3:25 - SPX  4:10 - IWM  4:50 - QQQ  5:35 - Single Names - A look at the top 10 single-name stocks with the most options activity. 6:00 - #10 OPEN 6:55 - #9 AVGO 8:10 - #8 AMZN 9:20 - #7 AMD 10:15 - #6 PCG 11:15 - #5 PLTR 12:20 - #4 AAPL 13

In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive into the world of Asian options, a type of exotic option. They explain how these options differ from standard "vanilla" options by basing their payoff on the average price of an underlying asset over a specific period, rather than its price at a single expiration date. The hosts break down the two main types: fixed-strike and average-strike options, providing clear examples of how their payoffs are calculated. They also discuss the historical origins of the name "Asian options" in the Singaporean commodity markets. The episode highlights the primary use case for these options: reducing volatility and hedging against wild price swings, making them particularly useful for industries like commodities, energy, and foreign exchange. The show also includes the popular "Mail Call" segment, where the hosts answer a listener's question about options flow and market volume statistics for August. Time Stamps [0:00] Intro and episode overview [2:50] Introduction

This episode of The Hot Options Report provides an overview of a day of options trading activity on September 9, 2025. Mark Longo first details the activity in major indices, including VIX, SPY, SPX, IWM, and QQQ, before counting down the top 10 most active single-name equity options. The report highlights significant volume in names like Nvidia, Apple, and Tesla, with notable call activity across the board and a rare put-dominated day for Open. 3:15 - VIX 4:00 - SPY 4:50 - SPX 5:45 - IWM 7:00 - NASDAQ (QQQ) 8:00 - 10. JD.com (JD) 9:35 - 9. Alphabet Class A (GOOGL) 10:45 - 8. Open (OPEN) 11:55 - 7. Robinhood (HOOD) 12:55 - 6. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) 14:05 - 5. UnitedHealth Group (UNH) 15:40 - 4. Palantir (PLTR) 16:45 - 3. Tesla (TSLA) 17:50 - 2. Apple (AAPL) 19:10 - 1. Nvidia (NVDA) ---------------------------------------------------------------- All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage accoun