Options Market Eyes 2022 Playbook for Iran War Risks
The options market is looking to the 2022 Russia‑Ukraine crisis playbook as Iran‑related geopolitical risk resurfaces. While the VIX has lingered under the 30‑point threshold, realized S&P 500 volatility remains low despite elevated implied risk premiums and dealers’ short‑gamma positioning. Strategies focusing on long index volatility, reverse dispersion and intra‑index correlation are gaining favor, even as hedges unwind. Traders note that intraday reversals may soon give way to sustained momentum if the Iran escalation sharpens.
Coinbase Launches 24/7 Stock Trading For Tesla, Apple, Nvidia With 10X Leverage
Coinbase has introduced stock perpetual futures for eligible non‑U.S. customers, enabling 24/7 synthetic exposure to Tesla, Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and other Magnificent 7 stocks. The contracts provide up to 10x leverage on individual equities and up to 20x...
Oil Futures Face New Pressure as the US and Iran Trade Threats to Strike Key Infrastructure
Oil futures surged on Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of bombing its power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz reopened within 48 hours. Brent crude rose 1.27% to about $113.5 a barrel and WTI to $99, pushing...
Crude Awakening
The Cboe Crude Oil ETF Volatility Index (OVX) has surged to 108, roughly three times its level at the start of 2026, as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran disrupts about 20% of Persian Gulf oil output. This spike eclipses volatility...
#58613
On March 16, 2026 the Options Clearing Corporation announced that Yext, Inc. (YEXT) options will transition from broker‑to‑broker settlement to Continuous Net Settlement (CNS) through the National Securities Clearing Corporation. The change takes effect for all exercise and assignment activity on or...
ETJ's Put Options On The S&P 500 Are Finally In-The-Money - Buy At $8.10
Eaton Vance Risk‑Managed Diversified Equity Income Fund (ETJ) is now trading at $8.10, a 1.5% dip, after its S&P 500 put options moved in‑the‑money. The fund uniquely blends call writing with put buying, covering roughly 96% of its holdings for strong...
#58611
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) issued a March 20, 2026 notice that two listed options—CEPU1 (Central Puerto S.A.) and MGIC1 (Matrix IT Ltd)—will not be subject to the standard automatic exercise thresholds for the March expiration. Holders of long positions must independently...
IWM’s Surge in Unusual Options Activity Signals Opportunity — Here’s a Covered Strangle With a Twist
Unusual options activity on the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) spiked as geopolitical tensions lifted oil prices and pressured S&P futures. Despite solid year‑to‑date returns—11.39% in 2024 and 12.66% in 2025— IWM’s early rally faded, prompting investors to buy protective puts....
#58606
On March 20, 2026 the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) will apply special pricing to Tradr 2X Short DASH Daily ETF (DASX) options because DASX shares have been suspended from trading on the Cboe BZX Exchange. For expiration calculations OCC will use the last reported trade price...
ITWO: Russell 2000 Covered Call Strategy That Outperforms Its Peers
ProShares Russell 2000 High Income ETF (ITWO) combines direct exposure to the Russell 2000 with a 0‑day‑to‑expiration covered‑call overlay, aiming to deliver both growth and income. Over the past twelve months the fund outperformed peer covered‑call ETFs, benefitting from its aggressive...
Shopify (SHOP) Call Option Spread Garners a 33% Return Potential
Shopify (SHOP) is regaining momentum as it rolls out AI‑driven features and projects over 30% revenue growth for Q1, with earnings due in May. Analysts have modestly lifted FY2026 earnings estimates, now forecasting $1.78 per share, a 52% year‑over‑year increase....
Euronext Diversifies Its Financial Derivatives Franchise with the Launch of Mini Options on ETFs
Euronext has launched the Nord Pool Power Futures market, covering Nordic and Baltic electricity contracts, and went live on 16 March 2026. The transition moved 100 % of open interest—173 TWh—to Euronext Clearing, bringing 86 participants and 16 clearing members onto the Optiq® platform. The...
Midmorning Markets: Outsized South Central Natural Gas Storage Injection Pressures Permian Prices
Natural gas futures slipped Friday as traders weighed heightened Middle East war risk and a sharp rise in U.S. storage. The U.S. South Central region logged a 26 Bcf injection, pushing inventories to 721 Bcf, still 30 Bcf below the five‑year average. The...
#58603
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) announced that a set of S&P 500 INDEX PM/EURO flex options currently trading under the 4SPX symbol will be consolidated into the SPXW C series. The transition applies to ten contracts with expirations ranging from April to...
#58601
New Gold Inc. completed its merger with Coeur Mining, converting each NGD share into roughly 0.4959 CDE shares. The Options Clearing Corporation adjusted NGD options, raising the contract multiplier from 1 to 100 and setting the deliverable to 50 CDE...
Coinbase Introduces Stock Perpetual Futures Contracts for non-U.S. Customers
Coinbase has launched perpetual stock futures for eligible non‑U.S. retail and institutional clients, expanding its derivatives suite into U.S. equities. The contracts cover the Magnificent 7 stocks and ETFs such as SPY and QQQ, trade 24/7, and settle in USDC. Leverage...
Veg Oils Price Surge: CPO and CME Soyoil Futures Extend Gains
Vegetable oil futures, led by crude palm oil (CPO) and CME soybean oil, surged amid rising crude oil prices and heightened Middle East tensions. The most active May CPO contract on Bursa Malaysia rose 0.93% to 4,541 ringgit per tonne,...
NIHI: Tax-Efficient Way To Collect A 10% Yield From International Stocks
NEOS MSCI EAFE High Income ETF (NIHI) employs a collar option‑spread on international equities to deliver roughly a 10% yield, paid monthly and designed for tax‑efficient payouts. The overlay caps upside participation while providing limited downside protection, appealing to income‑focused...
#58598
Adjusted Meridian Holdings Inc. (formerly Golden Matrix Group) options were modified on March 3, 2026, creating a new deliverable of eight MRDN shares plus a cash‑in‑lie payment of $2.55 per contract. The cash portion, based on a $7.65 share price and a...
#58597
The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) issued a memo that special pricing will apply to HIMZ1/2HIMZ1 options expiring on March 20, 2026 because the cash‑in‑lieu amount for fractional shares has not been set. Each contract delivers seven Defiance Daily Target 2X Long HIMS ETF...
Original Bullish Options Trade on LyondellBasell Worked. Now It Deserves Another
In January, a bullish call‑spread risk‑reversal on LyondellBasell (LYB) was recommended, and the trade has now paid off as the stock climbed to $75.20. Management’s cash‑improvement plan delivered $800 million in 2025 and raised the cumulative target to $1.3 billion by 2026....
J.P. Morgan Debuts Equity Premium Yield ETFs ROCY and ROCQ on Nasdaq
J.P. Morgan Asset Management launched two new active ETFs, ROCY and ROCQ, on the Nasdaq, expanding its derivative‑income suite. ROCY focuses on U.S. large‑cap equities while ROCQ targets Nasdaq‑listed stocks, both using a call‑spread options overlay to generate yield. Each...
Cherry Picks: ZB or ZN? A Smarter Way to Compare Treasury Volatility
The article proposes a systematic way to compare volatility between the 30‑year ZB Treasury future and the 10‑year ZN Treasury future by juxtaposing each contract’s implied volatility (IV) with its dollar value of a one‑basis‑point move (DV01). ZB’s DV01 of...
Semiconductor Stock Signal Has Never Been Wrong
Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:CRDO) is testing a key technical level, sitting within 0.75 of its 320‑day moving average’s 20‑day ATR after a 52% pullback from its December high. Quant analyst Rocky White notes that this signal has historically...
Nifty Bank Prediction Today – March 18, 2026: Nifty Bank Futures: Bearish Inclination
The Nifty Bank index opened on March 18 with a modest gap‑up to 54,927, edging to 54,950 by mid‑session, a 0.15 % rise. While the advances‑to‑declines ratio of 11 to 3 suggests a short‑term bullish tilt, gains were led by Federal Bank and AU Small...
HELO: Working As Designed
JPMorgan's Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF (HELO) delivers S&P 500 exposure while slashing volatility roughly in half through a collar options structure. The design caps upside potential but consistently trims drawdowns, making it a defensive tool during risk‑off periods. With outright...
Market Watch: Nymex Clings to $3 Handle as Winter Wanes
April natural‑gas futures on the NYMEX edged up 1 cent to $3.033 per million Btu, keeping the contract near the psychologically important $3 handle. Gelber & Associates highlighted a tug‑of‑war between brief late‑season cold snaps and a broader spring‑warming trend,...
From €3bn to €5bn – FCA Proposes to Increase the Commodity Clearing Threshold
On 6 March 2026 the FCA released Consultation Paper 26/8 proposing to raise the UK commodity clearing threshold from €3 billion to €5 billion. The change addresses nearly 90 % commodity price inflation since the 2016 threshold was set, which has effectively lowered...
#58558
Effective March 30, 2026 the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) will cease collecting Large Trader Files for contracts cleared on the Cboe Futures Exchange (CFE). Futures commission merchants, clearing members and foreign brokers must submit Large Trader Reports directly to the CFTC and...
This Tech Stock Is Primed for a Big Move Higher. How to Trade It Using Options
MongoDB is emerging as a high‑conviction option trade as technical indicators signal a potential bounce. A fast MACD crossover on March 9 and an RSI recovery above the 30 oversold threshold suggest renewed buying pressure. The author proposes a 265/270 bull...
A Guide To Trading Volatility (Preview)
Lawrence G. McMillan outlines the current wave of implied‑volatility trading as geopolitical tension in Iran pushes put‑call ratios higher and lifts the Cboe VIX and its related products. The article notes that equity puts and S&P 500 index puts are driving...
Futures Settle: Natural Gas Slips Despite Chilly Weather, Iran Turmoil
U.S. natural gas futures slipped on Monday despite a cold snap that boosted heating demand. A rebound in deeply negative West Texas prices lifted the national average, masking softness elsewhere. European TTF gas and U.S. WTI crude stayed above recent...
Utilities Stock for Contrarian Options Traders
Vistra Corp (VST) rose 0.9% to $160.41, edging toward its year‑to‑date breakeven level after a prolonged slump. The stock's buy‑to‑open put/call ratio surged into the 90th percentile, crossing 1.0—a signal that has occurred only eight times in the past three...
Yieldmax’s XOMO Pays An Ungodly 30% Dividend Yield As Oil Soars Above $100 A Barrel
YieldMax XOM Option Income Strategy ETF (XOMO) generates weekly distributions by selling call options on Exxon Mobil stock, delivering an eye‑catching 30% dividend‑equivalent yield as oil prices surge above $100 and market volatility spikes. The fund’s income stems from option premiums,...
Mid-Session IV Report March 16, 2026
The March 16 mid‑session IV report highlights rising implied volatility across leading tech stocks, with NVIDIA, Broadcom, Arm and CoreWeave showing notable IV levels below their 52‑week peaks. It flags extreme IV spikes for upcoming earnings—Lululemon, DocuSign and Oklo all posting...
Global FX Derivatives Market Overview: Size, Structure and Uses
Global FX derivatives daily turnover hit $6.6 trillion in April 2025, about double the 2013 level. While FX swaps still dominate, outright forwards and options are growing fastest, reshaping product composition. Trading remains concentrated in London, though Asia‑Pacific’s share is rising and...
Stress Test on SRTs Could Help Shed Light on Risks, BIS Says
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) recommends that synthetic risk transfers (SRTs) be incorporated into system‑wide stress tests to expose hidden vulnerabilities. SRT usage has expanded fivefold since 2016, covering roughly €800 billion of loan portfolios and delivering about 43 basis...
Uncertain Macro Environment May Call for Autocallable ETFs
The article warns that 2026’s macro landscape is clouded by escalating U.S. foreign‑policy tensions and lingering doubts about Federal Reserve independence, which could pressure equity markets. It proposes laddered autocallable income ETFs as a defensive tool, highlighting Calamos’s CAIE and...
Swap Data Was Supposed to Deliver Transparency. A Decade Later, Regulators Are Still Trying to Use It
Regulators have amassed a decade’s worth of swap transaction data through mandated repositories, yet extracting actionable insight remains elusive. A new Memorandum of Understanding between the SEC and CFTC creates a formal framework for sharing derivatives reporting data and supervisory...
Hedge Funds Turn to Exotic Cross-Asset Options Amid Market Turmoil
Hedge funds and institutional investors are turning to exotic cross‑asset options as the Iran‑related conflict fuels extreme volatility across energy, equity, bond and currency markets. Brent crude recorded a $36 intraday swing on March 9, breaking traditional correlations and weakening the...
Cboe Options Exchanges Introduce Optional Risk Limit Control Enhancements
Cboe Options Exchanges will let Trading Permit Holders optionally exclude auction volume and set contra‑capacity fractions in post‑trade risk limits, effective April 20, 2026. The new controls, configurable through the Customer Web Portal and Cboe Titanium API, also introduce an optional atomic...
DNO Brings Forward Norway Production Through Multi-Asset Equinor Swap
DNO ASA announced a non‑cash asset swap with Equinor, trading its stakes in four non‑core Norwegian Continental Shelf discoveries for a 19% interest in the Atlantis field and a 10% interest in Afrodite, both adjacent to the Kvitebjørn area. The...
UNIVERSAL TRADE CAPTURE (UTC) – REPORTING ENHANCEMENTS
DTCC’s National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC) is adding a Universal Trade Capture (UTC) reporting enhancement that delivers direct trade‑capture data tied to a firm’s MPID. The service is optional for full‑service NSCC members that clear or introduce broker‑dealers through another...
JPMorgan's Das on Opportunities for Investors Amid Market Volatility
JPMorgan strategist Das warned that heightened market volatility is forcing investors to map multiple scenarios, from rising commodity prices to aggressive central‑bank tightening. He highlighted a sector rotation away from semiconductors toward staples, energy, materials and industrials, while noting JPMorgan’s...
How to Hedge Against $100 Oil, According to Market Strategists
Brent crude has breached the $100‑per‑barrel threshold, prompting oil‑intensive firms to accelerate hedging programs. Market strategists advise a mix of forward contracts, options, and swaps to lock in fuel costs while preserving upside potential. Daimler Truck CFO Eva Scherer highlighted...
Stock Futures Gain as Oil Eases From Earlier Highs: Markets Wrap
U.S. and European stock index futures rose after crude oil eased from earlier highs, following President Donald Trump’s call for nations to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and his indication that the United States is in talks with Iran....
Some Implied Moves for Earnings Next Week(Mar. 16th – Mar 20th) – 177 Companies Reporting
The article lists implied move percentages for companies reporting earnings from March 16‑20, covering 177 firms but highlighting a subset of tickers. Implied moves range from 3.6% to a peak of 22.2% for PL, indicating expected price volatility around earnings releases....
NSE to Launch 10-Gram Gold Futures Contracts Under Commodity Derivatives Segment From March 16
The National Stock Exchange announced a new Gold 10‑gram Futures contract, slated to begin trading on March 16, 2026. Identified by the symbol GOLD10G, the contract’s trading and delivery unit is 10 grams with a tick size of ₹1. NSE set a...
Gold and Silver in India: Beyond Tradition, A Strategic Allocation
Gold and silver prices in India have shown heightened volatility as global macro factors and Middle East tensions influence market sentiment. On the MCX, April gold futures fell 0.6% to ₹1,60,651 per 10 gm, while May silver futures slipped 0.29% to...
U.S. Officials Have Discussed Trading Oil Futures, Burgum Says
U.S. officials, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, confirmed that the Trump administration has discussed using oil futures contracts to temper soaring crude prices amid the escalating Iran‑Israel conflict. While the idea was explored, Burgum said no concrete market intervention has...