The Option Alpha Podcast

Show notes: https://optionalpha.com/show199As automated trading starts going mainstream for retail traders, we wanted to ensure that expectations are set properly. Particularly, this includes discussing why we believe that automated trading does not mean unattended trading. To help guide and frame this conversation I invited our Chief Market Strategist, Ryan Hysmith, back on the show with me. Inside we'll talk about the future of automated trading, if automated trading provides an edge, and what some of the possible downsides to automated trading might be that you'll have to consider carefully.

Show notes: https://optionalpha.com/show198After a couple of months on pause for the podcast, while we focused on the beta launch of our automated trading platform, we're thrilled to be back and ready to rock and roll again. On this week's show, we'll do a mini "State of the Union" on what we've been up to, what's new, and what you can expect moving forward. We think this is a great way to cover a lot of ground in a relatively short amount of time and make sure we're all aligned together moving forward.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show197There's a lot of research to support the usage of trend indicators as simple risk reduction elements that can be layered onto an existing strategy. The trouble, however, was that in the past investors had to monitor the trend and execute the appropriate trade reversals when the trend changed. With automation, we can now offload this simple portfolio strategy to bots - and cleverly defined multiple possible trend exits all from one simple automation. This week's podcast walks through the two Macro Trend bots we built to show you how you can start leveraging the new automation tools at Option Alpha to trade either stocks or options in a trend.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show196Trading short naked puts (i.e. put selling or put writing) can be an effective and profitable options trading strategy. Often the attraction to naked put selling is the ability to collect premium with a margin for error if the stock drops, and have the ability to purchase stock at a discount to the current market price. The trouble comes however when the stock moves lower and challenges the naked put position and today's show is dedicated to helping you understand all the ways you can hedge short naked puts.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show195It's well documented that not only do investors classically chase performance, ultimately yielding sub-par performance in pursuit but that they also do not have enough patience to stick with strategies long enough. My hope is that it ends today and you can elevate yourself above all this and objectively look at strategies for what their expected outcome range is, not what it's done in the last couple of months or a handful of trades.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show194This week I'm thrilled to welcome back on a very popular guest, Cameron Skinner, to the Option Alpha podcast. Way back on Show 61, Cameron and I talked at length about his consistent and religious process for trading options even though his "day job" as a real estate investor takes the majority of this focus and attention. Well, Cameron is back for another interview, and this time we dove even deeper into his strategies and how he thinks about risk and the markets. Please enjoy our follow up conversation with Cameron Skinner.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show193One of the beautiful things about shifting to fully automated trading on the new Option Alpha platform is the ability to finally be able to clone and replicate entire trading strategies using bot templates. Bot templates allow anyone to build a trading strategy and seamlessly share the structure and details of that strategy with one-click. Today, I want to walk through just one type of strategy that I think is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to situational trading and hedging bots. I have no doubt that this discussion will spark some creative ideas, allow you to dream of what's possible, and show you that the future of trading is incredibly bright once you adopt autotrading.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show192Back on Show 187 we tackled the top 15 questions we consistently get around options expiration. Today, we're taking a slightly different approach and addressing head-on the 18 biggest questions and concerns traders have around options assignment and exercising, whether on or before expiration itself. Regardless of your trading experience level, seasoned investor, or complete options newbie, I promise you that today's episode will help you more clearly understand and navigate any future options assignment or option exercise situation you might find yourself in. After all, this is part of the business and if you trade long enough you'll have to manage through this, dozens of times.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show191We're all subject to investment biases, often multiple biases working together at the same time trying subconsciously to derail us. And whether we offload the actual order execution and management to an autotrading platform or not, the human element or side of investing still impacts the decisions we make and the strategies we choose to execute or not. Until we take the time to label and recognize these major investor biases, we cannot overcome or manage them in the future. Therefore, today's podcast is geared specifically at exposing these classic and detrimental investor biases that ruin your performance. You're either going to learn how to manage and deal with them or be unknowingly controlled by them for the rest of your life.

Show notes: http://optionalpha.com/show190One of the most impactful things you can do for your portfolio is add money or capital to it. A consistent and persistent schedule of funding your account, even with small amounts, gives you the added boost that compounds over time. But we all know this already don't we? So why don't we do it, or at least at a higher level than we do now? On today's show, I'm going to help you break down the zillion ways you can save money to invest into core concepts that I have used in my own life to save money at an incredible pace. I'm a firm believer that these "big ideas" around saving money will help free up some cash for you.