Your Inside Source for Options Information

February 5, 2018


January Options Volume & Market Share

Options volume up 42% year-over-year

On February 1, OCC announced that exchange-listed options volume reached 467,904,767 contracts in January, a 42 percent increase from January 2017. Year-to-date average daily options volume is up 36 percent from 2017 with 22,281,179 contracts.

Equity options volume in January was 411,650,134 contracts, up 41 percent from January 2017. This includes cleared ETF options volume of 173,248,941 contracts last month, a 40 percent increase from January 2017 volume of 123,515,339 contracts. Index options volume in January was the highest month ever, up 52 percent from a year ago with 56, 254, 633 contracts.

Here is a breakdown of market share by exchange:

Exchange Equity Index/Other Exchange Total
  Volume Market Share Volume Market Share Volume Market Share
AMEX 35,280,153 8.57% 88 0.00% 35,280,241 7.54%
ARCA 38,527,072 9.36% 0 0.00% 38,527,072 8.23%
BATS 41,566,305 10.10% 0 0.00% 41,566,305 8.88%
BOX 8,942,832 2.17% 0 0.00% 8,942,832 1.91%
C2 15,075,742 3.66% 239,758 0.43% 15,315,500 3.27%
CBOE 68,535,106 16.65% 55,503,982 98.67% 124,039,088 26.51%
EDGX 8,920,168 2.17% 0 0.00% 8,920,168 1.91%
GEM 19,943,685 4.84% 14,588 0.03% 19,958,273 4.27%
ISE 34,817,026 8.46% 100,057 0.18% 34,917,083 7.46%
MCRY 616,774 0.15% 0 0.00% 616,774 0.13%
MIAX 19,137,782 4.65% 0 0.00% 19,137,782 4.09%
MPRL 10,743,160 2.61% 0 0.00% 10,743,160 2.30%
NOBO 2,069,386 0.50% 0 0.00% 2,069,386 0.44%
NSDQ 34,456,948 8.37% 0 0.00% 34,456,948 7.36%
PHLX 73,017,995 17.74% 396,160 0.70% 73,414,155 15.69%
OCC Totals 411,650,134 100.00% 56,254,633 100.00% 467,904,767 100.00%

Source: OCC

 

 


Upcoming Economic Reports

A preview of what may move the market this week

TIME (ET) REPORT PERIOD FORECAST PREVIOUS
MONDAY, FEB. 5
9:45 AM Markit services PMI Jan. -- 53.3
10:00 AM ISM nonmanufacturing index Jan. 57.00% 56.00%
TUESDAY, FEB. 6
8:30 AM Foreign trade deficit Dec. -$52.0 bln -$50.5 bln
10:00 AM Job openings Dec. -- 5.9 mln
WEDNESDAY,FEB. 7
3:00 PM Consumer credit Dec. -- $28 bln
THURSDAY, FEB. 8
8:30 AM Weekly jobless claims Feb. 3 235,000 230,000
FRIDAY, FEB. 9
10:00 AM Wholesale trade Dec. -- 0.80%

 

 


Options Insider Radio Network 

Episodes you may have missed from Options Insider Radio last week

Option Block 688: The Great Earnings Palooza Returns

Posted February 2nd, 2018

Trading Block: Earnings! Wednesday's big names: FB, MSFT. Thursday's big names: AAPL, GOOGL, AMZN, BABA. OCC cleared contract volume increased 42% in January; highest January for cleared volume, highest month ever for index options.

Odd Block: TSLA options tracker. Review from Monday's near-term call paper in CL.

Strategy Block: Uncle Mike takes us to strategy school.

Mail Block: Options question of the week, plus listener questions and comments

EarningsSeason is upon us once again! It's time for #Tech to put its best foot forward. Which big #tech names are you looking to sling some #options on this week?

  • Amazon - $AMZN
  • Microsoft - $MSFT
  • Alphabet - $GOOGL
  • Facebook - $FB

Around the Block/Upcoming Economic Reports:

  • Feb 1: Jobless Claims
  • Feb 2: Unemployment
  • Feb 2: Consumer Sentiment
  • Feb 2: Factory Orders

 

Options Bootcamp 73: Options for Veterans

Posted February 1st, 2018

Today's guest hosts are Dan Passarelli from Market Taker Mentoring, and Dave Russell, Vice President of Content Strategy at TradeStation.

Basic Training: Options Education for Veterans

  • Why is TradeStation pursuing veterans?
  • What is TradeStation doing specifically for veterans?
  • Which options strategies are most popular?

Mail Call: Options question of the week

Earnings season is upon us once again! It's time for #Tech to put its best foot forward. Which big #tech names are you looking to sling some #options on this week?

  • Amazon ($AMZN)
  • Microsoft ($MSFT)
  • Alphabet ($GOOGL)
  • Facebook ($FB)

Listener questions and comments:

  • Question from B. Fowl - What is the most common options question that you guys get?
  • Question from P. James Lamar - Can you guys recommend an options platform for an active option trader? I'll try to add a link to what I used to be able to do on my old platform but am no longer able to do. But I would like to find another platform that has single click entry and exit for options. If you know one please let me know. Thanks.
  • Question from Charlie C. - What's the weirdest thing you've seen in the options market?
  • Question from LTV$ - What is the cheapest way to buy an option?
  • Question from Tim T. - You guys slammed buying straddles on your last show. Are they really that dangerous? Or is it more a question of people not knowing what they were getting into?
  • Comment from Allen Van - My Favorite Greek - My options trading is mostly focused around theta. I really don't pay attention to the other Greeks. It's all about collecting the theta. Seems to be working so far. Am I nuts?

 

Options Playbook Radio 194: AAPL Protective Put Spread into Earnings

Posted February 1st, 2018

Continuing with the idea of FAANG stock earnings, today we're looking at an AAPL protective put. You can find more in The Options Playbook, which is always available on OptionsPlaybook.com, in on the Amazon Kindle edition.

Specifically:

  • A review of last week
  • How do you protect yourself against a big move in AAPL after earnings?
  • Where is AAPL now?
  • What is the outlook?
  • Selecting a strike and expiration
  • What is the cost? Upside?
  • Meeting the "deductible"
  • What about a protective put spread?
  • What is the cost?
  • Why do it?
  • How do weeklys impact the ability to buy insurance around earnings?

Do you have a question that you want answered on a future episode? Send them to Brian at theoptionsguy@invest.ally.com, or to the Options Insider at questions@theoptionsinsider.com.

 

Options Insider Radio Interviews: Exploring Smart Beta with FTSE Russell

Posted January 31st, 2018

Mark attended the Inside ETFs conference and met with Rolf Agather, Managing Director of North America Research at FTSE Russell. They discussed:

  • Rolf's background in financial services
  • How does FTSE Russell define smart beta?
  • The uses of smart beta
  • Advisors' awareness of smart beta
  • The resurgence of interest in beta
  • Can smart beta bridge the divide between active and passive management?
  • Emergence of fixed income taking advantage of systematic sources of return
  • What's coming next from FTSE Russell?

 

Options Insider Radio Interviews: Talking ETF Options with OIC

Posted January 31st, 2018

Mark attended the Inside ETFs conference and ran into Eric Cott. They discussed:

  • OCC's perspective on ETF options
  • What is the level of options interest in ETF providers and traders?
  • Total cleared volume for 2017
  • Is there a shift from passive to active portfolio management afoot?
  • The new OIC options certificate for advisors
  • What about Bitcoin options?
  • Will the new tax code impact options traders?

 

 

Option Block 687: Revenge of Realized Volatility

Posted January 30th, 2018

Trading Block: VIX is back into the 13 handle.

Earnings this week:

  • Wednesday - FB, Microsoft
  • Thursday - Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Alibaba
  • The ORATS earnings report for 1/29/2018

Odd Block: More Jan 2019 50 "Catastrophe" puts in Tesla Motors (TSLA). Size call diagonal in Anheuser Busch Inbev NV (BUD). Near-term call paper in Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL).

Mail Block: Options question of the week

Earnings Season is upon us once again! It's time for #Tech to put its best foot forward. Which big #tech names are you looking to sling some #options on this week?

  • Amazon ($AMZN)
  • Microsoft ($MSFT)
  • Alphabet ($GOOGL)
  • Facebook ($FB)

Listener questions and comments:

  • Question from Michael Smith - Any recommendations on where I can find help on calculating implied move into earnings?

Around the Block/Economic Reports this Week:

  • Jan 30: Consumer Confidence
  • Jan 31: Chicago PMI, FOMC Meeting
  • Feb 1: Jobless Claims
  • Feb 2: Unemployment, Consumer Sentiment, Factory Orders

 

This Week in Futures Options 88: Crazy Nat Gas Calls

Posted January 29th, 2018

Topics this week include:

  • Soybeans
  • Nat Gas
  • Silver

Futures Options Feedback: Options question of the week

Bitcoin Futures are currently trading around $11,500. If #Options existed, how would you trade them? Assuming one-month to expiration would you...?

  • 27% - Buy 5% OTM Call
  • 32% - Buy 5% OTM Put
  • 16% - Sell 5% OTM Covered Call
  • 25% - Just Short the Future

Listener questions and comments:

  • Question from Camper - Do you notice any interesting patterns in corn volatility skew ahead of crop planting or harvesting?
  • Question from Brian Zin - COT reports have CME yet?

 

Volatility Views 291: Mullet vs. Tellum vs. VIX

Posted January 29th, 2018

On today's show, a rowdy cohort of crazies, including:

  • Mark Sebastian, Option Pit
  • Matt Thompson, Typhon Capital
  • Mike Thompson, Typhon Capital
  • Kevin Davitt, CBOE

Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective

  • VIX Cash is firmly back in the double digits.

Kevin's Weekly Rundown

  • VIX Options: ADV - 744k, VIX call/put - 4.1, Total 12.0m (9.65m Calls, 2.34m Puts)
  • Earnings Volatility: Netflix, Intel and Starbucks.

Volatility Voicemail: Options question of the week

Since we're down at #InsideETFs this week we thought we'd make our #Options #QOTW about #ETFOPTIONS. Quite simply - what is your favorite ETF/ETP #option to trade?

  • $SPY
  • $GLD
  • $VXX
  • Other (reply w/answer)

Listener Questions and Comments:

  • Question from Cat65 - Are there other vol futures out there aside from VIX?
  • Question from Charlie C - Quick Q for the show - What's the weirdest thing you've seen in the options market?

Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication

Last week:

  • Russell: 11.99
  • Matt: 11.5
  • Mark S.: 10
  • Mark L. 10.55

This week:

  • Mike: 9.99
  • Matt : 10.15
  • Mark S.: 13.25
  • Mark L.: 9.55
  • Kevin: 10.5

 


Where to Find Options Insider Radio?

Do you know all the ways you can access Options Insider Radio

             


Options Insider Radio Network Live Recordings

Do you want to be a part of the fun?

This is when you can access the LIVE shows this week:

Monday:

Option Block LIVE at 3pm Central


Thursday:

Option Block LIVE at 3pm Central


Friday:

Volatility Views LIVE at 12pm Central

This Week in Futures Options LIVE at 1:30 Central. As always, you can join in the fun at http://mixlr.com/options-insider/


Stats from Last Week

  • VIX Cash Range: 11.96 - 17.86

  • S&P Cash Range: 2759.97 - 2870.62

  • SPX 30-Day Implied Volatility: 13.67

  • SPX 10-Day Realized Volatility: 15.01

  • SPX 30-Day Realized Volatility:  10.37

  • SPX Risk Premium (30-Day Implied - Realized): 3.30

  • Market Risk Premium (VIX Cash - SPX 30-day Implied Volatility): 3.64


 

Strategy 101: Brought to you by Ally Invest

Options Playbook Radio 171: BABA Backspread

Posted August 17th, 2017

Since it's still earnings, season we are going to continue to look at expensive stocks. Today's subject is Alibaba (BABA), and we are exploring a backspread. You can find backspreads in The Options Playbook. This is always available on OptionsPlaybook.com, in on the Amazon Kindle edition.

The details:

  • The difference bewteen a skip-strike butterfly and a backspread
  • What do we want to happen?
  • Why a backspread over a skip-strike butterfly?
  • Earnings-related considerations
  • What is the marketplace expecting after the earnings?
  • Selecting strikes
  • What will this cost?
  • What is the timeframe?
  • And more...

Do you have questions that you would like answered on the show? Send them to Brian at theoptionsguy@invest.ally.com.


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