Opening (IRA): SMH Feb/March 170/154 Short Put LadderComments: My broad market positions are getting a little crowded and busy, so deploying some buying power into some sector ETF's, targeting the <16 delta strike paying around 1% of the strike price in credit.
30-day isn't bad here at 36.3%, but this isn't exactly as weak as it has been, so it's possible that a better entry could be had. Because of that, I'll look to potentially add should better opportunities present themselves.
The goal here is to collect premium and/or to reduce cost basis in shares that you might be eventually assigned and not necessarily to get ideal entries; there is, after all, some "slop"/room to be wrong with these. That being said, being patient and getting paid something decent for a lower strike is always a good thing, since a lower strike means a smaller buying power effect.
February 17th 170: 1.74 credit
March 17th 154: 1.54 credit
Shortput
Opening (Margin): /MCL March 16th 55 Short Put... for a .50 credit.
Comments: My position has skewed out to delta/theta >1.0, so I looked at doing a small adjustment here.
My options were: (a) take off profitable short delta (there isn't any at the moment); (b) add a skewed strangle as I did before; (c) roll up a profitable short put; or (d) sell a brand new put. I was looking to pick up around +6 delta or so, so opted for (c), but had to go out to March to get paid something decent for a 6 delta strike (although .50 isn't "fabulous"). This also happened to be buying power free and actually freed up a smidge (we're talking like $15, so nothing to really "whoo-hoo" about).
I've collected a total of 4.11 in credits and will look to unwind the whole shebang in profit (preferably, at 50% max).
Opening (Margin): /ES May 19th 1700 Short Put... for a 3.20 credit.
Comments: Adding back in a rung nearly buying power free. Will look to add in shorter-dated rungs, assuming I can do them at strikes lower than what I've currently got on for the around 3.00 in credit I've been looking to get out of these.
Opening (Margin): /CL March 16th 37 Short Put... for a 1.60 credit.
Comments: Selling /CL premium on weakness, but giving myself plenty of room to be wrong, targeting the strike that is 50% of current price that has an ROC metric of >10%. 1.60 credit on buying power effect of 9.71. 16.5% ROC as a function of buying power effect; 8.2% at 50% max.
Opening (Margin): /ES April 28th 1800 Short Put... for a 3.00 credit.
Comments: After having taken off my most-at risk strike in the February 28th expiry at the 2200 strike, adding back in a rung in longer duration, but lower down the ladder ... and virtually buying power free due to the size of the short delta in my one short call relative to the long delta in my short puts.
Opening (Margin): /ES April 21st 1900 Short Put... for a 3.45 credit.
Comments: An additive long delta trade that I get nearly buying power free due to /ES position net delta, now targeting the 50% of current price strike for around 3.00 in credit. As usual, will generally look to take profit at 50% max, but won't hesitate to take more at-risk strikes off for less with the current most at-risk strike being the February 28th 2200.
Opening (Margin): /CL February 15th 40 Short Put... for a 1.70 credit.
Comments: Taking a small, far out-of-the-money trade on weakness here, targeting the strike paying around 10% of buying power effect in credit. 1.70 credit on BPE of 16.32; 10.4% ROC at max; 5.2% ROC at 50% max as a function of buying power effect.
Opening (IRA): SPY June 16th 230 Short Put... for a 2.31 credit.
Comments: Part of a longer-dated strategy in SPY targeting the <16 strike paying around 1% of the strike price in credit to emulate dollar cost averaging into the broad market. Will generally look to roll at 50% max, whenever that occurs.
Naturally, I'll deploy into shorter duration if we get weakness plus a higher implied volatility environment.