The Daily Trade

SPX rallies back into Green Flag mode!

Markets gained today on continuing strength and the S&P 500 is now back in Green Flag mode.

We added a bunch of two day vertical credit spread trades for tomorrow's expiration:

• AMZN CALL
• DOCU PUT
• GOOG PUT
• TSLA CALL
• ZM PUT
• MSTR PUT
• NOW CALL
• NVAX CALL
• NVDA PUT
• SPX PUT
• TDOC CALL

Yellow Flag Warning on S&P 500!

Today's decline of 2.14% on the S&P 500 took major indexes into "yellow flag" mode, signaling the end of the bull run, at least for now, and a warning that a change in climate could be ahead.

The SPX delcined 2.1% while big tech swooned.

We added new spreads for Friday's expiration which includ an SPX trade that expired today, allowing us to take all of the profits.

Other positions for Friday include Adobe, Amazon, Alibaba, NVIDIA, Teledoc, PayPal, Nitflix, Twaiwan Semiconductor and Zoom.

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Big week so far and quite a lot of volatility.

So far, we've closed two SPX vertical put spreads and have one open for Friday expiration.

We started our "CAT SHOT" strategy with the first two trades fizzling but then the next two off to a better start.

Tomorrow (Thursday) we will position some trades for Friday expiration.

Green flag conditions persist, although, louder chatter about inflation and rising interest rates 

continues to grow.

While we generally sell options for premium income, the CAT SHOT is an options buying program designed to generate high velocity returns from buying select, deep in the money options on stocks that are poised to launch.

We started today with Facebook (FB) and GameStop (GME) and have a couple of remaining "demo" positions in APA, DVA and PTON.

We have a mix of unrealized losses and gains in these positions and will include them from this point forward in our discussions.

Advantages of option buying are well known:

• High potential return
• Can go bullish or bearish with calls or puts

The disadvantages are well known, most prominently, time decay, but we feel confident in our ability to mitigate those disadvantages through excellent risk management strategies and a program that has been proven to capture explosive moves like the F18 coming off the deck!

Green flag conditions continue to persist.

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Another green day except for the Nasdaq and big tech names like GOOG (-0.62%) FB (-0.77%) AMZN (-2.3%) NFLX (-0.85%) and TSLA off 3.5%.

We made 3% on a one day SPX bullish put spread and opened trading in our new strategy, "THE CAT SHOT'"

While we generally sell options for premium income, the CAT SHOT is an options buying program designed to generate high velocity returns from buying select, deep in the money options on stocks that are poised to launch.

We started today with Facebook (FB) and GameStop (GME) and have a couple of remaining "demo" positions in APA, DVA and PTON.

We have a mix of unrealized losses and gains in these positions and will include them from this point forward in our discussions.

Advantages of option buying are well known:

• High potential return
• Can go bullish or bearish with calls or puts

The disadvantages are well known, most prominently, time decay, but we feel confident in our ability to mitigate those disadvantages through excellent risk management strategies and a program that has been proven to capture explosive moves like the F18 coming off the deck!

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

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Indexes slip in spite of Fed Chief promising no change to interest rates and positive earnings.

Google keeps flying, MicroSoft slipped, Amazon jumped, Apple was flat and Tesla fell 1.47%.

We added one new spread that expired today, a 1 day SPX Put that gave us a profit of 3.3.%

Yesterday's SPX Put spread also expired today, a 2 day trade with a 5% gain.

Nw spreads for Friday expiration:

• 30 APR FB 330/335 CALL (IRON CONDOR WITH YESTERDAY'S PUT)
• 30 APR NFLX 520/525 CALL

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Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

Flat day on Wall Street as earnings flow in.

Pinterest got crushed after hours (down 10%) on slowing growth, and we liked that with our bear call spread benefiting from the fall.

Google jumped 5% in the extended session on good news. NetFlix remains weak.

We added more vertical credit spreads today with expirations scheduled for Friday:

• 28 APR SPX 4120/4115 PUT
• 30 APR PINS 87/89 CALL
• 30 APR FB 280/275 PUT

More to come tomorrow as we line up a mix of calls and puts for diversification and look for Iron Condor opportunities to maximize our capital reach as we head for Friday weekly expirations.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

Mixed day on Wall Street as the SPX and NDX rallied and Dow slipped a fraction.

Big week for earnings ahead with marquee names on deck led by Tesla today which reported banner Q1 sales.

We got the week off to a good start with a one day credit spread in SPX which expired in our favor for a 3% gain.

Other positions opened today include:

• 30 Apr PTO 10/12 CALL
• 30 APR NVAX 180/177.5 PUT
• 30 APR SWKS 187.5/185 PUT

More to come tomorrow as we line up a mix of calls and puts for diversification and look for Iron Condor opportunities to maximize our capital reach.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

Rumors of rising capital gains taxes spooked markets this afternoo with the S&P 500 dropping 0.92%.

We put on several new trades for tomorrow's expiration:

• 23 APR SPX 4215/4220 CALL
• 23 APR AMZN 3290/3285 PUT
• 23 APR NFLX 517.5/522.5 CALL
• 23 APR GOOD 2252.5/2247.5 PUT
• 23 APR TSLA 695/690 PUT
• 23 APR NVAX 197.5/192.5 PUT
• 23 APR TDOC 187.5/192.5 CALL

Note that our 21 April Iron Condor in SPX expired today at market close for full profit.

We will continue adding positions tomorrow, looking for Iron Condor opportunities, and positioning ourselves for tomorrow's expiration with a diversified combination of calls and puts.

In spite of today's spasm:

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

The SPX declined again today, down 0.7%, with "big tech" leading the way lower.

Earnings are underway and will be driving the news.

Netflix got killed in the after hours, down 8%, with AAPL off 1.26% and Amzn down 1.1% in the regular session.

We exited call options for profit, (new "Cat Shot" portfolio in test mode, not available to public yet)  in AAPL, GOOG and SPY today and look forward to introducing that to members in the near future.

In our public portfolio, we added an SPX call to form an Iron Condor going into tomorrow's expiration and are working up a basket of trades to start tomorrow to position for Friday.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

The SPX declined slightly today, down 0.53% while "big tech" was off with AAPL dropping 0.5%, GOOG off 0.2% and AMZN off 0.8%.

We placed two trades, a one day SPX Call expiring today which expired out of the money, allowing us to keep all of the premium, and an SPX put spread expiring on Wednesday.

Looking forward to a great week.  

In spite of today's small declines:

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

Good day today as tech and the S&P 500 rallied.

We added the following spreads with expirations for tomorrow:

• SPX Put
• AMZN Put
• FB Call
• SQ Put
• NFLX Put
• Goog Put
• BIDU Call
• TSLA Call
• TDOC Iron Condor
• RIOT Call

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

We had some negative returns today as tech slipped and the S&P 500 declined 0.41%.

We added new trades including a one day SPX credit spread, and bear call spreads in NVDA and BABA.

More trades to come tomorrow as we set up for Friday weekly expirations.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

Added some some trades for tomorrow and Friday expirations!

Added an SPX vertical credit spread for tomorrow's expiration.

Setting up for Friday Pay Day with spreads in MARA, RIOT, and GME

5 trades for the week so far!

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

Good one day SPX trade to get the week started!

We set up a one day vertical credit spread in SPX, for a quick $350 profit on$5,000 margin, a quick 7%, one day profit.  (Shhhh! Don't tell the trading gods so we don't make them mad!)

"Tomorrow's another day," as Scarlett used to say, and we're psyched about opportunities in GME, CCIV, MARA and GSX! 

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail. 

It's Friday PayDay!

And new records for the Dow and S&P 500

We added six new one day positions for today's expiration:

• 9 APR SPOT 277;5/282.5 CALL
• 9 APR INTU 415/410 PUT
• 9 APR MARA 50/55 CALL
• 9 APR ADBE 505/510 CALL
• 9 APR BIDU 227.5/232.5 CALL
• 9 APR NBDA 580/585 CALL

Note that we are diversifying with both calls and puts (bearish and bullish positions) over a short term which reduces risk and puts Theta (time decay) squarely in our favor.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail.

Market advance continues:

We added new positions today on the way to tomorrow's expiration:

• 9 APR BABA 235/240 CALL
• 9 APR AMZN 3390/95 CALL
• 9 APR PAYPL 257.5/252.5 PUT
• 9 APR GOOD 2185/2180 PUT
• 9 APR NFLX 542.5/537.5 PUT
• 9 APR TSLA 7175./722.5 CALL

Note that we are diversifying with both calls and puts (bearish and bullish positions) over a short term heading into Friday's expiration.  This provides reduced risk and puts Theta (time decay) squarely in our favor.

We also have one Iron Condor position in AMZN and will look for more opportunities in one day trades tomorrow.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail.

Quiet day on Wall Street as markets moved fractionally higher.

We conitnued adding new positions as we head towards Friday expiration.

• Our SPX iron condor spread expired with both legs out of the money, allowing us to keep the full premium.
• We added a new 9 APR SPX 4000/3995 Put for Friday expiration.
• We added a 9 APR ETSY 210/15 Call spread for Friday expiration
• New 9 APR OSTK 67/70 Call Soread
• New ABNB 192.5/197.5 Call Spread

  Tomorrow will be a busy trading day as we take two day spreads to line up for Friday expiration.

Expecting our usual pattern to continue with a one day SPX trade on Wednesday and building Wednesday with options designed for Friday expiration.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail.

Mixed markets today after recent records.

We added the following positions:

• 7 APR SPX 4130/35 PUT
• 9 APR AMZN 3130/25 PUT

Expecting our usual pattern to continue with a one day SPX trade on Wednesday and building Wednesday with options designed for Friday expiration.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail.

Friday Pay Day came early this week with the market closed tomorrow for Good Friday.

We opened the followig 1 day vertical credit spreads today:

• 1 APR SPX 3965/3960 PUT
• 1 APR AMZN 3085/3080 PUT
• 1 APR TSLA 660/655 PUT
• 1 APR GOOG 2085/2080 PUT
• 1 APR VIAC 45/50 CALL

The S&P 500 rallied to close above 4,000 for the first time in history, up 1.2% on the day.

The Dow rose 0.5% and the NASDAQ jumped 1.8%.

Markets always like free money and so the Biden Administration's stimulus programs are being well received.

Green flag, bullish conditions prevail.

Getting busier towards the end of the Holiday shortened week.

We added the following vertical credit spreads for Thursday expiration:

1. SPX Bull Put
2. AMZN Bear Call
3. AMAT Bull Put
4. TSLA Bear Call
5. NFLX Bear Call
6. ADBE Bull Put
7. VIAC Bear Call
8. GOOG Bull Put
9. BLNK Bull Put
10. TSLA Bear Call

AMAT is now an iron condor and we'll look for additional iron condor opportunities to place tomorrw going into Thursday's close.

Tomorrow we'll also place our customary Wednesday 1 day trade on SPX.

We'll talk tomorrow in our next edition of "The Daily Trade!"

Happy Trading,

Trading Gods

Markets started the week flat but remian in a  configuration at overbought levels.

Today, Retirement Day Trader entered a one day SPX 3930/3925 Bullish Put spread which expired worthless, allowing us to keep all of the premium.

Other positions added were a 1 APR AMAT 230/160 Call Spread and a 1 APR FB 280/275 Bullish Put spread.

Weekly options expire on Thursday this week due to the markets being closed for Good Friday.

Markets gained some ground today on better than expected employment and COVID news.

We added the following positions today to set up for "payday Friday:"

1. 26 MAR SPX 3945/55 CALL
2. 26 MAR NFLX 530/40 CALL
3. 26 MAR GOOG 2070/75 CALL
4. 26 MAR AMZN 3150/55 CALL
5. 26 MAR FB 270/65 PUT
6. 26 MAR BABA 220/15 PUT

Tomorrow we'll be looking for some one day "day trades" to close out the week at Friday expiration and "Payday Friday!"

Markets weakened today but remain in bullish configuration.

We added the following positions today:

1. 24 SPXMAR 3955/3960 CALL

26 MAR Positions remain in play for Friday expiration

26 MAR MARA 30/35 Put

26 MAR TSLA 730/35 CALL

24 MAR SPX options expired worthless except for 3890/3880 Put as underlying closed 1 point in the money.

Tomorrow brings us to Thursday and positioning for Friday expirations and so we can expect lots of opportunity and positioning.

Markets weakened today but remain in bullish configuration.

We added the following positions today:

1. 26 MAR MARA 30/35 Put
2. 24 MAR SPX 3880/90 Put
3. 24 MAR SPX 3980/85 CALL
4. 24 MAR SPX 3990/3995 CALL
5. 26 MAR TSLA 730/35 CALL

Note our strategy diversifying over different time periods and calls/puts as markets wind towards expiration tomorrow and Friday.

Another bullish day.  Green flag conditions prevail.

We placed a 22 March SPX 3885/3875 put that expired out of the money today, a one day trade, allowing us to keep all of the premium for a 2.5% gain.

We placed a second trade, 24 March SPX 3840/3830 put which has a Wednesday expiration.

Tomorrow, we will look for an iron condor opportunity in SPX for Wednesday expiration.

Another bullish day.  Green flag conditions prevail.

We placed a 22 March SPX 3885/3875 put that expired out of the money today, a one day trade, allowing us to keep all of the premium for a 2.5% gain.

We placed a second trade, 24 March SPX 3840/3830 put which has a Wednesday expiration.

Tomorrow, we will look for an iron condor opportunity in SPX for Wednesday expiration.

Had a good day today as several positions expired worthless, allowing us to keep all of the premium.

New trades today were a one day bearish call and a one day TSLA bearish call.

Markets reacted strongly to rising bond yields today, sparking selling in the NASDAQ that dropped the index 3% and the S&P 500 1.5%.

Retirement Day Trader had a good day, gaining on bear call credit spreads in our "Blue Ocean" strategy and also in our testing phase of the "Cat Shot" strategy.

New trades placed today included bear call credit spreads in SPX and AMZN that expire tomorrow and single put options in TDOC, PLTR, GME, CCIV, BYND and SPX as we took advantage of today's declines.

In spite of today's weakness, broader markets remain in "green flag" mode and bullish configuration.  Tomorrow is weekly options "payday" and we anticpate placing additional one day trades tomorrow morning.

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Markets continued their climb today as they liked what Jerome Powell had to say.  Green flag conditions continue

The DOW closed above 33,000 for the first time as Mr. Powell said no rate hikes for as far as the eye can see.

We placed new option spread trades today:

1. 1 day SPX 3900/4100 call, adding to our trade from yesterday, the 3900/3890 put for an iron condor.  Both trades expired out of the money so we kept the entire premium on both wings for a realized gain of $3050.
2.  March 19 ABBV 107/112 Call spread which is due to expire on Friday
3. March 19 DG 200/210 Call, also expiring on Friday.

We're getting into the busy part of the week heading for "Friday payday," and anticipate additional trades tomorrow and Friday with 2 and 1 day expirations.