After-Hours and Premarket Trading: Managing the Stock Trading Jitters May 11, 2023 12:21 PM   |  

Premarket and after-market trading hours might be keeping you up at night. Here's why traders should consider trading in the late hours before the sun comes up.

5 min read  |  Trading Psychology
Capiche: Three Lessons from a Meme-Stock Boomer January 10, 2022 10:15 AM   |  

Should you focus your attention on those meme stocks or look the other way? Here are some tips to consider.

3 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Option Trader’s Guide to the Markets (and Life) September 27, 2021 10:15 AM   |  

Trading options means thinking (and acting) with the inner quant brain. Once you get into the mindset, that analytical thinking might show up as you assess other investments—and other life decisions.

5 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Playing Opposites: Why and How Some Pros Go Short on Stocks June 4, 2021 10:15 AM   |  

Learn how following short interest and other short-selling metrics can help investors gain valuable insights into companies and markets.

6 min read  |  Margin
Got Vol? Trade Around It. April 5, 2021 10:30 AM   |  

Do the headwinds of time decay turn you off from buying single options on volatile stocks? Find out how you may be able to turn the headwinds into tailwinds by trading those stock moves.

5 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Flexibility and Targeted Exposure: An Intro to Weekly Stock Options February 4, 2021 12:52 PM   |  

Learn how weekly stock options can help you target your exposure to market events such as earnings releases or economic events.

3 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
In Defiance of Gravity: What’s a Short Squeeze and Why Do They Happen? January 29, 2021 12:59 PM   |  

When a stock suddenly enters a hyperbolic rally without clear fundamental reasons, it could be a classic short squeeze. And when it involves options, a so-called 'gamma squeeze' can exacerbate the moves—up and down.

5 min read  |  Economic Trends
The Win/Loss Conundrum: Understanding the Odds September 28, 2020 10:30 AM   |  

When you've got trades on, you typically focus on your profits or losses. But you could lose more times than you win and still come out ahead. Learn how to use probabilities to manage your options positions.

5 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Interest Rates Move. How Does That Affect Options Prices? April 2, 2020 10:30 AM   |  

The effect of interest rates on options prices—rho—is sometimes considered the forgotten greek. But interest rates matter, especially when deciding when to exercise options positions.

5 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Stock Options Greeks: Gamma Explained January 6, 2020 9:30 AM   |  

As stock options get closer to their expiration date, options prices can change quickly. Understanding options gamma could help you manage your stock options positions better.

5 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Delta: A Little Goes a Long Way September 30, 2019 10:15 AM   |  

Delta contains information that matters most when you are looking for a profit. But there is more to delta.

3 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Vega: It's Not the Number You're Thinking June 30, 2019 11:45 AM   |  

Vega can show you how much the dollar value of an option changes for every one percentage point change in volatility. But traders often confuse vega with volatility. Knowing the right way to use vega can help you come up with an options trading strategy.

6 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Singing the Low-Volatility Blues? Try Calendar Spreads April 15, 2019 4:00 AM   |  

Learn how a long calendar spread can be effective in a low-volatility trading environment.

4 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
What’s Hot and What’s Cool April 1, 2019 3:00 AM   |  

Useful thinkorswim tools you can use are the Heat Map, volatility calculation and Mobile Trader. Find out which stocks are moving, different ways to calculate volatility and share charts on Mobile Trader.

6 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
How to Save a Bear in a Herd of Bulls January 7, 2019 3:00 AM   |  

Big changes in stock prices can happen anytime, which is why option traders need a risk management strategy in place to withstand persistent rallies and potentially profit if and when a selloff happens.

6 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Calendar vs. Butterfly: The Ultimate Premium Smackdown January 7, 2019 3:00 AM   |  

Calendars and butterfly strategies may look similar but they have their differences. Why would you choose one over the other?

6 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Putting “Too Good to Be True” to Use October 1, 2018 3:00 AM   |  

Traders sometimes talk glowingly about thrilling options trading strategies without considering the risks. There are some alternative strategies such as short out-of-the-money verticals that you could consider to better manage your risks.

7 min read  |  thinkMoney Magazine
Trading Earnings Season? Brush Up on Your Option Greeks July 3, 2018 4:00 AM   |  

The sensitivity of option prices to changes in time, volatility, and the price of the underlying are commonly referred to as “Greeks.” As you prepare for earnings season, here's an overview.

5 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Derivatives With a Twist: Options on Futures vs. Equity Options December 6, 2017 11:00 PM   |  

Options on futures are quite similar to their equity option cousins, but a few differences do exist.

6 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Scalping the Gamma: Dynamic Hedging of Option Positions September 28, 2017 12:00 AM   |  

Learn how to dynamically hedge changes in an option position’s delta in a process known as “gamma scalping.”

5 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Gamma Scalping Intro: Synthetics, Put-Call Parity and Delta-Neutral September 21, 2017 12:00 AM   |  

Some option traders dynamically hedge positions, but doing so requires a basic understanding of synthetic positions and put-call parity.

3 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Price Action vs. Price Erosion: The Positive Side of Negative Theta September 7, 2017 12:00 AM   |  

Learn about gamma, which some traders consider the positive side of negative theta.

5 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Going on Strike: Consider Widths when Buying Vertical Spreads August 3, 2017 12:00 AM   |  

If you have a directional view on a stock price, buying a vertical spread might be for you. But deciding on strikes and strike widths requires some thought.

3 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Three Clicks From Data to Trade: Economic Indicators July 24, 2017 12:00 AM   |  

Some economic indicators create more noise than others—learn to create trading strategies based on how markets might react to economic data.

7 min read  |  Fundamental Analysis
Capiche? Portfolio Margin Part 2: Greeks, Unveiled April 16, 2017 11:00 PM   |  

Part of our series on portfolio margin, the greeks—theoretical metrics describing how things like stock price, time, and volatility can impact option price.

2 min read  |  Margin
What I Learned Not To Do: Direction, Time, and Volatility January 8, 2017 11:00 PM   |  

Managing risk variables you didn’t know you could control—lessons learned in 2016 about direction, time, and vol, and what mistakes to avoid this year.

10 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Options for Trading Consolidation Moves in Gold Futures October 24, 2016 12:00 AM   |  

With gold futures prices swinging up and down, options traders may have an opportunity to exercise non-directional strategies like straddles and strangles.

4 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Weekly Options: Stretch Them Out September 28, 2016 12:00 AM   |  

Learn how to increase the flexibility of your existing options strategies with weeklys: options that move quickly and live for about a week.

7 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
The Myth of Delta Neutral (and Other Greek Tales) July 5, 2016 12:00 AM   |  

The greeks option traders use are loved by many, but understood by few. Know the false “truths” about option greeks to better manage your trades.

7 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Industry Spotlight: Wednesday Expirations Anyone? July 5, 2016 12:00 AM   |  

Weeklys on SPX: Now options traders have even more toys to play with... and more to chew on. Find out about them before changing your trading strategy.

2 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Exploring Your Options: Knowing When to Adjust a Trade (Pt 2) June 23, 2016 12:01 AM   |  

Sometimes the options market can signal when it’s time to adjust a trade. But how long should options traders stick with an adjustment plan?

3 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Really Pretty Real: Understanding Synthetic Options Strategies, Pt 1 April 18, 2016 12:00 AM   |  

Learn how synthetic options strategies can help traders potentially lower transaction costs, improve price discovery, and more efficiently use capital.

4 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
You Asked, We Answered: Getting Started with Options March 9, 2016 11:00 PM   |  

Industry data shows options trading numbers are growing. But many stock traders remain hungry for options trading basics. Here’s how to get started.

4 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Rethink Options: Aim for Income by Embracing Market Inaction November 23, 2015 7:00 PM   |  

Income-focused option trades succeed when the market doesn’t move that much. Learn how to recognize income opportunity.

4 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Special Focus: Vertical Spreads. Up, Down ... Who Cares? January 1, 2013 4:35 PM   |  

Buying calls and puts is great when the stars align. For the spread trader, anything is possible. And the vertical spread is all where it begins.

11 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies
Decode the Greeks: Ancient Alphabet Helps You Trade Options July 11, 2012 3:39 PM   |  

Options greeks can help measure how much an option might gain or lose—and help you decide how much risk you’re willing to take.

5 min read  |  Options Trading Basics
Weeklys: Trading Short-Term Options in the Red Zone January 1, 2011 8:18 AM   |  

A guide to weeklys: Volume is swelling, and traders are using weekly options to speculate on very short-term moves, or simply as a hedge.

7 min read  |  Advanced Options Strategies

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