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Opening (IRA): IWM May 16th 190/195/220/225 Iron Condor... for a 1.70 credit. Comments: I think I have more than enough long delta on at the moment, so opting to go nondirectional/delta neutral here. Selling the 25's and buying the wings out from there, collecting one-third the width of the wings in credit. Metrics: Buying Power Effect: 3.30 Max Profit: 1.70 ROC at Max: 51.5% 50% Max: .85 ROC at 50% Max: 25.8% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, roll in oppositional side on side test.
AMEX:IWM
by NaughtyPines
Update: EWZ December 2026 32 Covered CallHere, starting to break my EWZ position (See Post Below) into its constituent pieces. The first piece involves shares I acquired way back at 31.65/share. (Ugh). Rather than go back and calculate trade to date break even, I'm going out far in duration to sell the short call at or above my break even. Sometimes, you have to go way longer dated than you'd like, but I'm fine with devoting some buying power to this, particularly since EWZ pays a fairly decently dividend, albeit only twice a year. The remaining legs are the January 17th 26 short put -- on which I'm pretty sure I'll be assigned shares, and the January 17th 23 short put, which is in-the-money by .50 or so. On assignment, I'll look to sell the call at the strike at which I was assigned and go from there ... .
AMEX:EWZLong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): EWZ Oct 17th 26/45 Short Call Vertical... for a 1.13 credit. Comments: I'm fairly certain that I'm going to be assigned on my January 17th 26 short put, so am going out to October to sell a spread with the short leg at the 26 strike that pays at least 1.00. The reason I do this (sell a call for at least 1.00), is that this enables me to roll the short call down a strike by 1.00 without giving up profit potential if I need to. The 26 short call aspect of this spread will become the short call aspect of an October 17th 26 covered call, with the covered call setup having a break even of the strike at which I was assigned (26) minus the 1.13 in credit I got paid for this spread or 24.87. Because I haven't been assigned shares yet and short calls are generally verboten in a cash secured account like an IRA, I've had to pay a few bones (.05 to be exact), to define the risk of the short call. I also had to pay a debit that is equal to the width of the spread (19.00) minus the credit received of 1.13 or 17.87 for the spread. I'm fine with this, since this buying power will eventually free up when I get assigned. Naturally, the October expiry is extremely long-dated. I'm fine with this here, since EWZ pays a fairly decent dividend, albeit only in June and December.
AMEX:EWZShort
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): COIN March 21st 220 Covered Call... for a 215.96 debit. Comments: High IV + weakness. Selling the -85 delta call against shares to emulate the delta metrics of a 16 delta short put, but with the built-in defense of the short call. Going lower net delta due to the shorter duration (35 DTE). Metrics: Buying Power Effect/Break Even: 215.96/share Max Profit: 4.04 ROC at Max: 1.87% 50% Max: 2.02 ROC at 50% Max: .94 Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, roll out short call if my take profit is not hit.
NASDAQ:COINLong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): TMF May 17th 39 Covered Call... for a 38.06 debit. Comments: Along with TLT, one of the only red things on my ETF board. Doing a starter position here, selling the -75 delta call against shares to emulate the delta metrics of a 25 delta short put, but with the built-in defense of the short call. Metrics: Buying Power Effect/Break Even: 38.06/share Max Profit: .94 ROC at Max: 2.47% 50% Max: .47 ROC at 50% Max: 1.24% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, add at intervals if I can get in at strikes/break evens better than what I currently have on, and/or roll out the short call at 50% max.
AMEX:TMFLong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): SPX May 16th 5130/5160/5850/5880 Iron Condor... for a 10.20 credit. Comments: High IVR/IV >21. Hesitant to add more long delta here, so going delta neutral in SPX and structuring the trade such that I receive one-third the width of the wings (30) in credit. Metrics: Buying Power Effect: 19.80 Max Profit: 10.20 ROC at Max: 51.52% 50% Max: 5.10 ROC at 50% Max: 25.8% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, rolling down oppositional side on side test, but won't hesitate to take profit quickly if IV crushes in dramatically post "Liberation Day."
SP:SPX
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): XBI May 16th -85C/December 19th 50C LCD*... for a 29.50 debit. Comments: Adding to my XBI position at or near 52-week lows, buying the back month 90 delta and selling the front month -30 delta that pays for all of the extrinsic in the long. (The 50C is depicted at a higher strike so that it fits on the chart). Metrics: Buying Power Effect: 29.50 Max Profit: 5.50 ROC at Max: 18.64% 50% Max: 2.25 ROC at 50% Max: 9.37% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max and/or roll out short call to reduce downside break even. * -- Long call diagonal.
AMEX:XBILong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): TMF May 16th 37 Covered Call... for a 36.05 debit. Comments: Adding at strikes/break evens better than what I currently have on, selling the -75 delta call against shares to emulate the delta metrics of a 25 delta short put, but with the built-in defense of the short call. Metrics: Buying Power Effect/Break Even: 36.05/share Max Profit: .95 ROC at Max: 2.64% 50% Max: .48 ROC at 50% Max: 1.32% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, look to add at intervals if I can get in at a break even better than what I currently have on, and/or roll out short call when that aspect hits 50% max.
AMEX:TMFLong
by NaughtyPines
NVDA 2 The????NASDAQ:NVDA Outlook - -GEX and -DEX but +OI This week. NASDAQ:NVDA ’s price action will likely hinge on broader market sentiment rather than company-specific releases, given no major NVIDIA events are slated. Weekly -- 2nd consecutive down week with increasing volume Daily -- Downtrend to next HVL under 106 possible Hourly -- Consolidating at support zone 10m -- Consolidating Bias -Monitoring U.S. trade policy updates and technical levels for short-term direction. Volatility remains high, so caution is warranted. Pivot - 109.65 Upside Targets: * 111.47--112.91--113.66--115.01 Downside Targets: * 109.62--108.45--105.05--104.34
NASDAQ:NVDA
by QuantumEdgeAnalytics
BTC Volatility Play: Compression, Fib Confluence & 48% IV OptionBTCUSD | Volatility Compression Meets Macro Catalyst: Options & Technical Thesis Chart: BTC/USD 1M (BITSTAMP) Bitcoin is currently consolidating below all-time highs after touching the $95K level. The monthly candle structure shows the first significant pause in momentum, with price now holding around the $82,000–$84,000 range. This area represents a confluence of prior resistance-turned-support, Fib retracement zones, and the VWAP session level (~$84,910). Technically, the long-term ascending broadening wedge remains intact. MACD is extended but positive, while RSI has cooled to approximately 62. The structure supports the thesis of short-term rebalancing before a potential continuation or breakdown. Volatility compression is evident. Options Market Context | BTC1! (May 30, 2025 Expiry) Implied Volatility (IV): 48.1% across strikes Underlying Spot Price: $82,978 ATM Strike: $84,500 Theta: ~ -52 per leg (high decay environment) Delta Cluster: Calls around 0.53–0.59, Puts around -0.41 to -0.47 Despite BTC's recent move and upcoming halving-related volatility potential, the options market is pricing in moderate movement, not extreme. This opens the door for straddles, strangles, and gamma-based strategies if volatility expands or price breaks out of range. Breakeven Analysis: BTC Straddles (May 30, 2025) The table below illustrates the breakeven zones and required directional moves for various straddle positions, based on total premium (call + put). Strike Total Premium ($) Upper Breakeven ($) Lower Breakeven ($) % Move Up % Move Down 82,500 13,468 95,968 69,032 15.65% 16.81% 83,000 13,454 96,454 69,546 16.24% 16.19% 84,000 13,488 97,488 70,512 17.45% 15.04% 84,500 13,546 98,046 70,954 18.16% 14.48% 85,000 13,607 98,607 71,393 18.87% 13.97% Interpretation: The FWB:83K –$84.5K strikes offer the most balanced convexity. The average breakeven range requires BTC to move approximately 15%–18% in either direction by expiration to achieve profitability. Strategy Considerations 1. Long Straddle at ATM ($84,500): Total cost: ~$13,546 Profit potential if BTC > GETTEX:98K or < $70.9K Ideal for traders anticipating a significant move in either direction Vega + gamma rich; best for breakout environments 2. Directional Option Play: Long Call at $85,000 (~$6,538) for a lower-cost breakout bet Long Put at $82,500 (~$5,713) to lean bearish Scaled exposure possible for either side, depending on directional bias 3. Advanced Structures (Neutral Thesis): Short Straddle or Iron Butterfly at $84,500 to harvest premium High decay potential, but vulnerable to directional expansion Only suitable if anticipating range-bound behavior near-term Final Thoughts Bitcoin is entering a historically volatile phase post-halving with price compressing below all-time highs and implied volatility sitting at moderate levels. This convergence of technical consolidation and underpriced volatility creates a strong environment for defined-risk, high-reward trades. Whether you favor directional breakouts or volatility-based strategies, the current setup offers clear levels, manageable risk, and strong reward-to-risk symmetry. Chart source: BTCUSD Monthly (BITSTAMP) Options source: CME BTC Options (May 30, 2025)
Short
by TheHouseofTrade
NVDA Silicon Slippage: The Bearish Case for NVDA in 5 ContractsNVDA Bearish Options Thesis — “AI’s Reality Check” A $500 Bet Against Hype, Headwinds, and a Tired Rally Underlying: NVIDIA (NVDA) Current Price: $109.67 Strategy: Buy 5x $90 PUTs expiring May 2, 2025 @ $1.00 Total Cost (Risk): $500 Breakeven: $89.00 Max Value at Expiry: $45,000 (if NVDA → $0) Target Zone: $85–$95 Risk/Reward Profile: Asymmetric 1:9+ 🧠 Thesis Summary: Why NVDA Could Drop NVIDIA, the undisputed champion of the AI GPU race, now finds itself under increasing pressure from macro forces, competition, and sentiment. This trade capitalizes on a short-term reversal thesis into earnings season and macro repricing. 🚨 Key Catalysts for Downside: 🧬 1. AI Hype Fatigue The market is cooling on generative AI names after 12+ months of hype. Investor sentiment is shifting toward monetization over narrative — which hits NVDA’s high-multiple story. 💥 2. DeepSeek & Chinese Competition The emergence of DeepSeek (a competitive LLM) raises the risk of a hardware shift in the East. China accelerating self-sufficiency in chips = reduced NVDA demand. 📉 3. Macro Headwinds & Tariffs Renewed trade war tensions threaten advanced chip exports. Tariffs and tighter regulations = real demand compression for NVDA’s top-line growth. 📊 4. Technical Breakdown Confirmed Weekly close below Fib 0.382 ($109.44) — now resistance. RSI at 41.44 — weak and trending down. Below VWAP ($113.65), signaling momentum shift. "NVIDIA isn't breaking down because it's bad — it's breaking down because the market is waking up." 💰 Trade Breakdown: 5x $90 PUTs @ $1.00 (May 2, 2025) Metric Value Contracts 5 Cost per Contract $100 Total Premium $500 Breakeven $89.00 Max Gain $45,000 Max Loss $500 (premium only) 📊 P&L Scenarios (5 Contracts) NVDA Price Drop % Intrinsic Value Total Payout Net Profit ROI (%) $100 -8.8% $0.00 $0 -$500 -100% $95 -13.4% $0.00 $0 -$500 -100% $90 -17.9% $0.00 $0 -$500 -100% $85 -22.5% $5.00 $2,500 $2,000 400% $82.70 -24.6% $7.30 $3,650 $3,150 630% $80 -27.1% $10.00 $5,000 $4,500 900% 🧮 Technical Levels to Watch Level Price Notes VWAP $113.65 Rejected 0.382 Fib $109.44 Just breached 0.5 Fib $96.07 Strong support 0.618 Fib $82.70 Bearish target RSI 41.44 Weak momentum ✅ Summary Factor Insight Total Spent $500 (5x $90 PUTs @ $1.00) Breakeven $89.00 Risk Fully capped at $500 Potential Return Up to $4,500 (900%) if NVDA → $80 Catalyst Market re-rating AI, earnings unknowns, regulatory clouds Trade Horizon 33 days — high velocity post-breakdown possible
NASDAQ:NVDAShort
by TheHouseofTrade
Tesla's Tipping Point: The $662 Bet That Could Return $12K TSLA bearish play thesis focused on buying 2 contracts of the $190 PUT (May 2, 2025) at $3.31 each. This version scales up all profit/loss values and ROI calculations to reflect a 2-contract position (i.e., 200 shares total). 🧠 TSLA Bearish Earnings Thesis – 2 Contract Play Earnings Date: April 28, 2025 Option Expiration: May 2, 2025 Strategy: Buy 2x TSLA $190 PUTs @ $3.31 Total Cost (Premium Paid): $662 ($3.31 × 100 × 2) Breakeven: $186.69 Thesis: Multiple Converging Catalysts Suggest Sharp Downside Risk Tesla is facing a perfect storm of fundamental, technical, and sentiment-driven challenges. These create a highly asymmetric opportunity for short-dated PUT buyers heading into earnings. ⚠️ 1. Earnings Risk – Underperformance Expected Delivery Misses: Q1 delivery numbers fell short of analyst expectations. Slower ramp in key markets like China and Europe due to economic slowdowns. Margin Compression: Aggressive price cuts to maintain volume are eating into margins. Expectations for gross margin contraction YoY are high. Disrupted Guidance: Potential downside revision to full-year forecasts as competition heats up (BYD, Ford, Rivian, etc.). ❝ Street is pricing in perfection. Any earnings or margin disappointment could send shares sharply lower. ❞ 🧨 2. Brand Boycotts & Political Fallout Public Backlash: Tesla faces intensifying boycott pressure in parts of Europe and the U.S. due to Elon Musk's political affiliations and controversial stances. Brand Dilution: Musk’s polarizing presence has damaged Tesla's once-premium EV image. High-income, eco-conscious buyers are switching brands. Retail Sentiment Shift: Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and retail forums show sharp decline in "diamond hand" loyalty. ❝ Tesla’s brand equity is eroding. Negative sentiment is now a structural overhang. ❞ 🔺 3. Headline Volatility – The “Musk Premium” Now a Liability SEC & DOJ Scrutiny: Multiple ongoing investigations. Any bad headline can crash the stock. X (Twitter) Overhang: Distraction and capital risk tied to Musk’s ownership of X are ongoing market concerns. AI Pivot Uncertainty: Musk’s recent AI pushes have created confusion about Tesla’s core vision, with no clear monetization path. ❝ Musk headlines, once a tailwind, are now a systemic volatility trigger. ❞ 📊 Modeled P&L for 2 Contracts TSLA Price on May 2 % Drop Option Value per Contract Total Value (x2) Net Profit ROI (%) $220 -16.5% $30.00 $6,000 $5,338 806% $210 -20.3% $40.00 $8,000 $7,338 1,108% $200 -24.1% $50.00 $10,000 $9,338 1,410% $190 -27.9% $60.00 $12,000 $11,338 1,712% $186.69 (Breakeven) -29.2% $63.31 $12,662 $12,000 1,812% $263.55 (No drop) 0% $0.00 $0 - $662 -100% 💡 Strategy Recap – 2 Contract Position Metric Value Strike $190 PUT Contracts 2 Premium $3.31 × 100 × 2 = $662 Breakeven $186.69 Max Risk $662 Max Reward $12,662 Reward/Risk Ratio ~19:1 ✅ Final Thesis (2 Contracts) "With $662 risked, a move to $200–$210 can yield ~$8,000. A move to $190 or below offers potential returns of over $11,000, making this a powerful short-term asymmetric play post-earnings. While risky, it’s tightly capped with a clearly defined thesis."
NASDAQ:TSLAShort
by TheHouseofTrade
Opening (IRA): TGT April 17th -108C/October 17th 75C LCD*... for a 30.05 debit. Comments: At or near a 52-week low. Buying the back month 90 delta and selling the front month strike that pays for all of the extrinsic in the long. (The 75C is shown at the 100 strike so that it fits on the chart). Metrics: Buying Power Effect: 30.05 Break Even: 105.05 Max Profit: 2.95 ROC at Max: 9.82% 50% Max: 1.48 ROC at 50% Max: 4.91% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max and/or roll the short call at 50% max to lower my downside break even. * -- Long Call Diagonal.
NYSE:TGTLong
by NaughtyPines
03/24 SPX Weekly GEX Outlook, Options FlowYou can see that every expiry has shifted into a stronger bullish stance heading into Friday, with GEX exposure moving upward across the board—though total net GEX is still in negative territory, while net DEX (delta exposure) is positive. This combination points toward a likely near-term rebound this week, which makes sense after testing the 5600 range last week…. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the key zones and likely moves this week: Bullish Target: The current uptrend could reach 5750 on its first attempt (already reached in Monday, thx bullsh :) ). If a positive gamma squeeze emerges at that level, we might see an extension to 5800 or even 5850 as a final profit-taking zone for bulls this week. HVL (Gamma Slip Zone): Placed at 5680, this threshold currently supports a low-volatility environment. A drop below 5680, however, could reignite fear and fuel bearish momentum. Put Floors & Net OI: The largest net negative open interest (OI) cluster is at 5650, with the next key level near 5600. At 5600, net DEX reads fully positive, suggesting strong buying support if the market tests that lower boundary.
SP:SPX
by TanukiTrade
Opening (IRA): TQQQ May 16th 51 Covered Call... for a 48.05 credit. Comments: Adding at a strike better than what I currently have on, selling the -75 delta call against shares to emulate the delta metrics of a 25 delta short put, but with the built-in defense of the short call. Metrics: Buying Power Effect/Break Even: 48.05 Max Profit: 2.95 ROC at Max: 6.14% 50% Max: 1.48% ROC at 50% Max: 3.07% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, add at intervals if I can get in at strikes better than what I currently have on, and/or roll out short call at 50% max.
NASDAQ:TQQQLong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): IBIT May 16th 37 Covered Call... for a 35.79 debit. Comments: Laddering out a smidge here, selling the -84 delta call against shares to emulate the delta metrics of a 16 delta short put, but with the built-in defense of the short call. Metrics: Buying Power Effect/Break Even: 35.79 Max Profit: 1.21 ROC at Max: 3.38% 50% Max: .62 ROC at 50% Max: 1.69% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, add at intervals assuming I can get in at strikes/break evens better than what I currently have on, and/or roll out short call if my take profit is not hit.
NASDAQ:IBITLong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): USO April 17th 68 Covered Call... for a 66.58 debit. Comments: With /CL dropping sub-70/bbl., putting on a starter position in USO, selling the -75 delta call against shares to emulate the delta metrics of a 25 delta short put, but with the built-in defense of the short call. Metrics: Buying Power Effect/Break Even: 66.58/share Max Profit: 1.42 ROC at Max: 2.13% 50% Max: .71 ROC at 50% Max: 1.07% Will generally look to take profit at 50% max, add at intervals if I can get in at strikes/break evens better than what I currently have on, and/or roll out short call if my take profit is not hit.
AMEX:USOLong
by NaughtyPines
Opening (IRA): XBI Sept 19th 60C/April 17th -90C LCD*... for a 26.68 debit. Comments: Taking a bullish assumption directional shot near 52 week lows, buying the 90 delta back month and selling a front month that pays for all the extrinsic in the long, resulting in a break even that is at or below where the underlying is currently trading. The 60 long call is shown at 80 so that it fits on the chart ... . Metrics: Buying Power Effect: 26.68 Break Even: 86.88 Max Profit: 3.32 ROC at Max: 12.44% 50% Max: 1.66 ROC at 50% Max: 6.22% Delta/Theta: 53.79/3.51 Will generally look to take profit on the setup as a unit at 50% max and/or roll out the short call at 50% max to reduce cost basis/downside break even. * -- Long Call Diagonal
AMEX:XBILong
by NaughtyPines