

Volatility Views
The Options Insider Radio Network
Volatility Views is the premier radio program for volatility traders. With leading industry guests and detailed analysis of volatility products, this program takes you inside the world of volatility trading like never before. If you are an experienced options trader looking to expand your understanding of volatility, or if you are simply curious about VIX and other volatility products, then this is the program for you.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 20, 2018 • 58min
Volatility Views 330: Mega Crystal Ball Palooza
Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective Sell-offs appear to be slowing down Tech earnings weighing things down Facebook: did they or didn't they? Are we in a trade war? VIX cash: 19.17 VVIX: 106 - up from last show VIX futures keeping pace or outpacing the index Blow out in nat gas options NVDA, AMAT earnings Volatility Voicemail: Listeners take over Comment from Ninny - I think VIX will touch your kids. Question from LLAX: How come you guys don't talk $SVXY or $TVIX on your show? Question From TAX8T: New listener and first time writer. Awesome program. Love the vol trading breakdowns and the fun guests. Is there any way you can include a rundown of large OTC var and volatility prints on your show each week. Keep 'em coming. Crystal Ball: Really reckless prognostication Last week: Mark L. - 17.65 Mark S. - 16.49 Two weeks from now: Mark L. - 18.15 Mark S. - 15.25

Nov 12, 2018 • 1h 3min
Volatility Views 329: VIX Is Weird But Will Not Touch Your Kids
Volatility Review: Earnings Highlights for the Week Tuesday - GE, Sony, BP, FB, eBay, Pfizer, Coca-Cola Wednesday - GM Thursday - Apple, Starbucks, Weight Watchers, Spotify, Cigna, Dow/DuPont Friday - ExxonMobil, Cboe, Alibaba, Chevron, Berkshire Hathaway Volatility indicators: VIX Cash - 17.75, 2.75-points lower than last show VVIX - 100, unchanged from last show VIX Options - ADV: 618k, VIX call/put: 2.1/1, Total 9.40m (6.29m Calls, 3.11m Puts) VXX - 37.5, 3-points lower than last show Volatility Voicemail: Options question of the week We always like to take the pulse of our audience. This week we're checking in on your favorite strategies. What is your go-to #options strategy? Butterflies Covered Call/Short Put Verticals, call or put Calendars/Diagonals Listener questions and comments Question from Mina - Why is VIX so weird? Question from Holan - That Meatball guy says he gets paid to buy $VXX puts. How? Question from BD3 - Why no Nasdaq VIX futures? Why no options? Why can't I trade VIX on Nasdaq? Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication Last week: Mark L. - 18.35 Mark S. - 16.5 This week: Mark L. - 17.65 Mark S. - 16.49

Nov 5, 2018 • 1h 3min
Volatility Views 328: Apple Vs. VIX
Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective. Apple and Non-farms are on the radar today. A rough month for equities: 9% Drop - the largest monthly Nasdaq drop since Nov 2008. 7% Drop - largest S&P monthly drop since Sept 2011. Apple screwed the pooch: Apple tumbles 7% after earnings on light guidance. Market cap back below $1T Earnings Highlights from Last Week: Tuesday - GE, Sony, BP, FB, eBay, Pfizer, Coca-Cola Wednesday - GM Thursday - Apple, Starbucks, Weight Watchers, Spotify, Cigna, Dow/DuPont Friday - ExxonMobil, Cboe, Alibaba, Chevron, Berkshire Hathaway Volatility indexes: VIX Cash - 20.5, 6.5-points lower than last show. VVIX - 99, 21-handles lower than last show. VIX Options - ADV: 609k, VIX call/put: 2.4/1, Total 8.24m (5.84m Calls, 2.40m Puts) VXX - 37.5, 3-points lower than last show Volatility Voicemail: Options question of the week: Volatility is all over the place these days. Some say it's too cheap, others say it's too expensive. Either way they want to trade it. What's your weapon of choice when trading the wacky world of volatility? VIX options/futures VXX options/ shares TVIX shares SPX / SPY options Listener questions and comments: Question from Alan Jackson -You guys say to close or roll ahead of VIX expiration to avoid the settlement flimflammery. So when should I do it? The day before settlement? The last hour of the day? A few days before? What's the ideal closing scenario? Question from Numrr - What's your preferred ratio of puts to underlying when trading VXX. Obviously you have to overweight with puts but how much? I like to keep 3 OTM puts on for every share of VXX. That way I'm biased short but also have something in my back pocket for weeks like this. What are your thoughts on that ratio? Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication Last week: Mark L. - 18.15 Mark S. - 17.25 Guest - 18.50 This week: Mark L. - 18.35 Mark S. - 16.50

Oct 29, 2018 • 1h 2min
Volatility Views 327: VIX, Seriously, WTH?
Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective. VIX Cash - 26.9, 6.8 points higher than last show VVIX - 120, 4 handles higher than last show A Listless VIX Says This Sell-Off Reeks of 'Dumb Money' by Luke Kawa - Bloomberg VIX Options - ADV: 574k, VIX call/put: 2.8/1, Total 7.47m (5.53m Calls, 1.95m Puts) VXX - 40.75, 6 points higher than last show Bitcoin Price Volatility Falls to Lowest Of 2018 The Dollar Is the New VIX, And the Bitcoin Connection by Brian Kelly - Forbes Volatility Voicemail: Options question of the week Earnings are back with big tech names on the docket. Which of the following will be lighting up your #Options trading this week? Bonus points for your preferred strategies - e.g. call vertical, straddle, etc. 28% - Microsoft $MSFT 34% - Amazon $AMZN 10% - Alphabet $GOOGL 28% - Twitter $TWTR Listener questions and comments: Question from Cube Finance - Do we smell the distinct odor of feedback loops about to take off? #risk #volatility Question from Darren Hom - VXX and the index it's based on provided a statistically significant exposure to shorting straddles. This was not the case for VIX, presumably because of volatility drag. Is it that bad that XIV is gone? Question from PRGR0 - SPY or SPX better for straight vol plays like straddles? Crystal Ball: Your prognostication headquarters Last week: Mark L. - 17.75 Mark S. - 16.25 This week: Mark L. - 18.15 Mark S. - 17.25 Guest - 18.50

Oct 22, 2018 • 1h 2min
Volatility Views 326: Getting Real about Volatility
Volatility Viewpoint: Featuring special guest Bob Krause of Demand Derivatives. He discusses: What is Demand Derivatives? What happened to VolX? What's new from Demand Derivatives? Limited-risk futures contracts Taking a cue from Buffett Converting the skeptics Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective VIX cash: 2.5 points lower than last show VIX range this week: 17.06 - 22.89 VVIX 10 handles lower than last show VIX futures curve: super backward again Vol is expensive Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication Last week: Mark: 17.65 Andrew: 26.01 This week: Mark L.: 17.75 Mark S.: 16.25

Oct 15, 2018 • 1h 3min
Volatility Views 325: VIXocalypse Redux
Volatility Review: VIX Cash - 22.35, 6 point from last show, up nearly 10 points from two weeks ago. VVIX - 126, 15 handles higher than last show, 34 higher than two weeks ago. VIX Options - ADV: 541k, VIX call/put: 2.7/1, Total 9.53m (6.93m Calls, 2.60m Puts), VXX - 35.65, 9 points higher than last show. Volatility Voicemail: Listener questions and comments Comment from DelVecchio - Dude WTF #VIX. Comment from XXX - "THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL FOR PEOPLE WHO QUOTE VIX AS A PERCENT." Comment from Martin Ryan - XIV imploded. TVIX is alive and kicking - I've used it for years. The other options have their advantages and disadvantages too - good luck trying to get a reasonable fill from options traders in a fast market. At least with an ETF or ETN I have liquidity... Question from Grigs - Why would shorting volatility during VIX futures contango fail? Question from JasonNolk - Suggestions on how to be best net neutral here? Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication Last week: Mark L. - 12.55 Andrew - 13.25 This week: Mark L. - 17.65 Andrew - 26.01

Oct 8, 2018 • 58min
Volatility Views 324: Volatility Weapon of Choice
Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective Non-farms come in lower than expected Unemployment drops to 3.7%, the lowest since 1969 Bitcoin vol falls to lowest levels this year VIX up 4.3 from last week VVIX up 19 from last week VXX nearly unchanged from last week Volatility Voicemail: Volatility Flash Poll What is your weapon of choice when trading volatility? VIX VXX SPX SPY VIX VXX SPY/ SPX options Other Listener questions and comments: Comment from Martin Ryan - TVIX, UVXY, SVXY.I've given you three good alternatives (one an inverse). There is nothing little about either TVIX or UVXY - both have good liquidity, tight spreads and good trading price action. The VIX imploded, but the aforementioned are doing well as effective alternatives to options. Comment from Ryan - ETF - SQQQ Question from Alacor - Like the show. Tried my hand at crystal ball. Not good. Heard you talk about straddle runs in SPX. Are there any products that package hedged ATM straddles as a product? Maybe they offer to delta hedge as well? Question from Telly0 - Are there any long VIX vehicles that don't erode to zero? Question from T Dog - Is it better to only take the short volatility trades and ignore the long volatility trades? Question from one0761 - Are we in the midst of a major correction. Crystal Ball: Wild and reckless prognostication Last week: Mark L. - 11.75 Mark S. - 12.15 Bill - 13 This week: Mark L. - 12.55 Andrew - 13.25

Oct 1, 2018 • 1h 3min
Volatility Views 323: Rethinking VIX Calls vs. SPY Puts
Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective This week, featuring guest co-host Bill Valentine from Valentine Ventures. The old VIX call vs SPX put debate continues VIX Cash - 12.5, up 0.3 from last show RVX - 14.6, up 0.7 from last week VVIX - 89, 2 handles higher than last show Size "hedge" in SPX puts this week VIX Options - ADV, 452K, VIX call/put: 2.8/1, Total 7.77m (5.74m Calls, 2.03m Puts) VXX - 26.65, almost unchanged from last show Volatility Voicemail: Volatility Flash Poll The CBOE Skew Index alarmed many when it soared above 150. Of course, every index tells its own skew story. Which index do you think has the steepest skew right now (aka 25D put vol vs. 25D Call vol)? Russell 2000 S&P 500 Nasdaq Other Listener questions and comments: Question from Leans - Do you think SVXY will ever go back to its pre-Feb structure? Question from Tim - Is there really such a thing as a "covered call" in VIX since the options don't expire into futures? If I'm long a future and sell a XIV call against it what is that called? Crystal Ball: Your prognostication headquarters Last week: Mark L. - 11.25 Mark S. - 12.14 This week: Mark L. - 11.75 Mark S. - 12.15 Bill - 13.00

Sep 24, 2018 • 1h 2min
Volatility Views 322: The Throes of VIX
Volatility Review: A look at the week from a volatility perspective VIX Cash - 12.2, down 2.2 points from last show RVX - 13.9, down 2 points from last week VVIX - 91, nine handles lower than last show Cboe SKEW Index Tops 150 for Record Four Straight Trading Days; Some Cite Surge in Black-Swan Hedging VIX Options - ADV: 467k, VIX call/put: 2.8/1, Total 6.86m (5.04m Calls, 1.82m Puts) More size Oct/Nov risk reversal on Weds - over 50k on the tape. VXX - 26.65, over 1 point lower than last show. Volatility Voicemail: Options question of the week Some people look to analysts for their market outlook. We prefer to analyze actual options positions. This week we're looking at SPY. In a nutshell - what do you think is the largest options position in SPY right now? No cheating - what does your gut tell you? 16% - SPY Mar 255.0 P 32% - SPY Oct 272.0 P 34% - SPY Dec 31st 320.0 C 18% - SPY Sep 300.0 C Listener questions and comments: Question from Godfr3y - I'm long VXX from 28.30 and long Jan 25 puts from $.55. Today I sold the Oct05 29.50 call for $.56. Thoughts? Should I just scrap the shares? Question from Piers - I'm long a bunch of VXX puts. I'm wondering if it is cheaper to buy VXX stock rather than the OTM calls to hedge against vol spikes over short periods like weekends or a few days. The underlying isn't going to suffer the same theta as the options and you get more deltas. Crystal Ball: Wild prognostication Last week: Mark L. - 11.67 Mark S. - 12.15 Next week: Mark L. - 11.25 Mark S. - 12.14

Sep 17, 2018 • 1h 1min
Volatility Views 321: Investigating VIX and Debunking VXX
Volatility Review: A look back at the week from a volatility perspective VIX Cash - 12.2, down 2.2 from last show RVX - 13.9, down 2 points from last week VVIX - 91, nine handles lower than last show VIX Options - ADV: 459k, VIX call/put: 3/1, Total 8.66m (6.48m Calls, 2.18m Puts) Why go 1x2 when you can go 1x4!? VXX - 27.80, nearly 3 points lower than last show Volatility Voicemail: Volatility Flash Poll VIX is threatening 15 and VXX is back above 30. Is this the return of volatility or just a blip? Quite simply - where will we be at the end of next week? 14% - Here: VIX=14, VXX=30 32% - Low: VIX=