volatility

The State of SPX Volatility 8-23-2010

It has been a crazy month of trading...or has it.  The buzz word at Option Pit Mentoring has been the Hindenburg Omen.  Mentoring students keep sayi

Are Condors in the Weekly's Worth It?

I have always been a little wary of the trading the weekly options for an income portfolio.  Inherently, I was thinking the risk reward makes no sense.  The argument I always get is that

How much was VOL up in the SPX today?

The VIX was up about 3 points today.  The VXX was up over 1.5 points.  How much was IV up in ATM SPX today?

 Yesterday:

Can Changes in VIX Option IV tell us anything, VXX Trade Update

I am not a big proponent of VIX options under normal circumstances.  I think the VXX is a far easier option to trade, as the underlying is easy to get a quote on.  That said, there are so

I officially do not hate Butterflies

The market ping pong continues.  The SPX and SPY have no conviction in either direction.  I expect short term IV to rally because we are nearing the top of the SPX range of about 1100.

Units Article Originally Posted at OptionsZone

I want to flash you traders back to the flash crash.   The fund I work with was trading had entered a May OEX butterfly that had been doing reasonably well, until the first week of May.&n