Calendar Spread Update 10/5/2010

Oh oh, GLD jumped up today along with the rest of the market. You’d think that if the stock market goes up because the economy is getting better than Gold would go down. Nope. So I guess the economy is not the reason the market is up today – contrary to what the news tells us.

As long as the dollar gets weaker, the markets and GLD will both go up.

But there was an interesting post on another blog Slope of Hope that showed graphically that Gold might be heading towards a retracement. Check it out if you are a Gold Bug.

OK, back to business. The up move today took GLD outside of our upside Calendar break even.

Here’s what it looks like right now.

So what do we do? I don’t want to add more capital to this, even though that is an option.

Step 1. Take off the spread hurting us the most. [...]

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Posted in Free Trades, Option Strategies, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »

Free trade: October 07, 2009

I got this trade idea from a very smart member. His observation was that POT

was channeling and that it would be a good set up for an income strategy.

The only problem was that earnings are after expiration which is in 10 days.

Earnings could move the stock but it also keeps the volatility of the options

high and that means high premium.  There is also a dividend to be paid on the 15th, which is one day before expiration. A dididend will lower the price of the stock by the amount of the dividend which in this case is 10 cents.

His idea was a butterfly. I decided to do a calendar because it is easier to adjust and share it here.

Buy 1 Nov 90 Call and Sell 1 Oct 90 Call. This trade cost me $315. My breakevens are at 86.14 and 94.40.

I feel this trade will work. But it will have to be held close to expiration. 

If POT gets outside the breakevens, exit the trade. or if you are experienced enough, add another calendar on the side of the brreakout.  If POT stays around 90, stay in as long as you can.

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Posted in Free Trades, Trades and Adjustments | 12 Comments »