

The Options Insider Radio Network
The Options Insider Radio Network
The Options Insider Radio Network is the premier audio destination for options traders. The network provides access to a vast array of popular programs including The Option Block, Options Boot Camp, The Advisors Option, The Long and Short of Futures Options, Volatility Views, Options Insider Radio and much more. Join the thousands around the globe who turn to The Options Insider Radio Network for options information, analysis and education.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 3, 2025 • 44min
TWIFO 468: A Gold and Gas Explosion
In this episode, host Mark Longo dives deep into the latest trading developments within the futures options market, covering hot topics such as nat gas, crude oil, and gold. The episode discusses record volumes in nat gas and its recent price movements, analyzes crude oil's downturn, and delves into gold's new all-time highs. The show also integrates listener inquiries and voting results, comparing current market sentiment indicators like VIX and gold. 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 03:29 Movers and Shakers Report 11:32 Exploring Energy Markets 21:40 WTI Futures and Options Analysis 22:27 Shifts in WTI Skew and Trading Activity 26:54 Gold's Record-Breaking Performance 28:33 Gold Options and Market Sentiment 37:03 Comparing Gold and VIX as Market Indicators 39:48 Conclusion

Oct 2, 2025 • 13min
The Hot Options Report: 10-2-2025
In this episode, Mark Longo dives into the day's top options activities as of Thursday, October 2nd. The report covers notable trades and market movements for key products including VIX, SPY, small caps, QQQ, AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and Tesla. Despite low volumes in some areas, SPY stands out with a significant contract volume. The episode also highlights the performance of options on individual stocks like Robinhood, Palantir, Amazon, Apple, and more. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:02 Hot Options Report Overview 02:21 VIX Analysis 03:02 SPY and S&P 500 Insights 03:58 Small Caps and QQQ Breakdown 05:15 Single Name Stocks Analysis 11:57 Conclusion and Upcoming Events ------------------------------------------------------------------------ All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before considering any options strategy. Options investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount, and are only available for qualified customers. Index options have special features and fees that should be carefully considered, including settlement, exercise, expiration, tax, and cost characteristics. See Fee Schedule for all options trading fees. There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Rebate rates vary monthly from $0.06-$0.18 and depend on the particular security, whether the trade was placed via API, as well as your current and prior month's options trading volume. Review Options Rebate Terms here. Rates are subject to change. Go to public.com/optionsbrief to learn more.

Oct 2, 2025 • 57min
The Option Block 1410: Shutdown Shrugs and Revenge of the WOLF
Host: Mark Longo, The Options Insider Radio Network Co-Hosts: Henry Schwartz, Cboe & Mike Tosaw, St. Charles Wealth Management In this episode, the hosts discuss the latest happenings in the options market amid the government's second day of shutdown. The highlights include a record-breaking September with 1.4 billion contracts traded, marking a 45% increase year-over-year. The show features insights covering topics from unusual options activities in companies like ARCC and USAR to the soaring volumes in household index options. Attention also turns to the persistent rally of NVIDIA and AMD and the rebirth of stocks like WOLF, who went from potential bankruptcy to making significant gains. Additionally, the hosts discuss the relevance of VIX and gold as gauges of market sentiment in the current trading environment. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 03:14 Market Analysis and Trading Block 06:16 Government Shutdown and Market Reactions 10:27 Precious Metals and Market Trends 16:28 Retail Trading and Market Volume 30:07 Apple's Post-iPhone Launch Performance 30:30 Rocket Companies' Struggles 30:46 Intel's Steady Climb 31:13 AMD's Hot Day 31:24 Nvidia's New All-Time High 31:44 Tesla's Volatile Week 32:45 Unusual Options Activity: The Odd Block 33:35 The Wolf's Astonishing Comeback 37:50 Aries Capital Corp's Tumultuous Year 41:32 USA Rare Earth Inc's Surge 47:08 Market Sentiment: VIX vs. Gold 50:45 Upcoming Events and Final Thoughts

Oct 2, 2025 • 21min
Wide World of Options: Up, Down, or Sideways: Potential Profits With an Iron Condor
Explore iron condors with show host Mark Benzaquen and special guest Luis Silva of Sigma Options as they explain this low-volatility options strategy, including its four-legged structure and essential risk management techniques. Whether you're an experienced options trader or just looking to expand your investment toolkit, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Oct 2, 2025 • 10min
Options Playbook Radio 458: Slinging VIX Butterflies
Brian's latest actionable trade idea...a VIX butterfly! Trade Breakdown Butterfly spread entry with 1 buy and 2 sell orders VIX 22 OCT 25 AM options at strikes 15, 20, and 22 Call type with a debit order at 1.65 price Quantities: +1, -2, +1 respectively

Oct 2, 2025 • 42min
Options Boot Camp 358: Scary Trades & the VIX: Is Gold the New Fear Gauge?
In this episode, hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli dive into a mix of educational and entertaining topics. Dan shares spooky season thoughts and discusses the scariest options strategies and moments in his trading career. Listener questions cover topics like the best fear gauge between gold and VIX, the appropriateness of corporate earnings cycles, hedging long positions, and the possibility of a future episode on collars. They also entertain a uniquely intriguing question about foods associated with options trading, tying in Chicago's rich culinary culture. 01:08 Welcome to Options Bootcamp 04:59 Listener Mail Call 06:51 Market Sentiment and Fear Gauges 17:25 Scariest Option Strategies 22:48 Terrifying Trading Moments 26:11 Unexpected Financial Surprises 28:06 Food and Trading: An Unusual Connection 31:38 Listener Questions: Collars and More 39:15 Conclusion

Oct 2, 2025 • 36min
The Futures Rundown 50: Shutdown Surprises
In this episode, Mark Longo and guest Morad Askar delve into the complexities of the futures markets. They discuss the recent market activities, including significant movements in NatGas, precious metals, and the stock market's reaction to the government shutdown. The episode also covers year-to-date movers, highlighting key players like gold and crypto, and explores the ongoing debate between gold and VIX as indicators of market sentiment. Additionally, they provide insights into various trading strategies and the benefits of using micros and why certain futures might not be suitable for all investors. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 03:58 Market Analysis: Government Shutdown and Market Reactions 07:03 Futures Market Movers: Ups and Downs 14:14 Top 10 Contracts and Trading Insights 18:14 NASDAQ's Dominance in Equity Volume 18:33 Year-to-Date Movers: Precious Metals and Crypto 21:18 Downside Movers: A Rough Year for Some Commodities 22:22 Futures Market Insights and Trading Advice 23:29 Crypto Futures and Hedging Strategies 24:56 Debating Market Sentiment: Gold vs. VIX 25:33 Futures Free-for-All: Audience Q&A 32:56 Wrapping Up: Final Thoughts and Contact Info

Oct 1, 2025 • 13min
The Hot Options Report: 10-1-2025
In this episode of the Hot Options Report, Mark Longo reviews significant movements in the options market on Wednesday, October 1st, despite the U.S. government shutdown. Highlights include unchanged VIX activity, increased trading volumes in SPY, SPX, small caps, and major single names like Amazon, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla. The show also promotes Public.com as a cost-effective platform for trading options. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 02:35 VIX Market Analysis 03:38 SPY and SPX Insights 05:09 Small Caps and QQQ Breakdown 06:32 Single Name Options Activity 12:22 Conclusion and Next Steps ----------------------------------------------------------------------- All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before considering any options strategy. Options investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount, and are only available for qualified customers. Index options have special features and fees that should be carefully considered, including settlement, exercise, expiration, tax, and cost characteristics. See Fee Schedule for all options trading fees. There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Rebate rates vary monthly from $0.06-$0.18 and depend on the particular security, whether the trade was placed via API, as well as your current and prior month's options trading volume. Review Options Rebate Terms here. Rates are subject to change. Go to public.com/optionsbrief to learn more.

Oct 1, 2025 • 1h 2min
The European Market Brief 10: The Quest for European Data: VSTOXX, HFT, and the Taxicab Confessional
Host: Mark Longo, Owner and CEO of The Options Insider Media Group Featured Guests: Russell Rhoads, Associate Clinical Professor at Indiana Kelley School of Business Matt Amberson, Principal and Founder of ORATS (Options Research and Technology Services) Daniel Murillo, Associate Vice President and US Sales Manager for Market Data and Services at Deutsche Börse (Eurex) For traders looking across the pond, data access is the key to unlocking opportunities. In this episode, our panel tackles the challenges of finding, analyzing, and utilizing quality European derivatives market data. On the Agenda: Data Deep Dive: Where can retail and professional traders find reliable, cost-effective data for Eurex products like EURO STOXX 50, DAX, and VSTOXX? Guests highlight essential free and paid resources. Backtesting the Continent: ORATS's Matt Amberson details how the unique, often sideways movement of European stocks offers different—and sometimes better—backtesting results for strategies like covered calls compared to the U.S. market's long bull run. The Race for Speed: Daniel Murillo of Eurex shares an insider look at the exchange's data services, including T+1 flows and new picosecond-level timestamping for High-Frequency Traders. VIX vs. VSTOXX: Russell Rhoads analyzes the difference in the futures term structure between VIX and VSTOXX, revealing why the European volatility index offers unique trading dynamics, especially as the U.S. trading day slows down.

Sep 30, 2025 • 15min
The Hot Options Report: 09-30-2025
In this episode of the Hot Options Report, Mark Longo provides an in-depth analysis of the options market activities for Tuesday, September 30th. The report covers key market indicators such as VIX, SPY, SPX, and individual equities including Apple, Intel, Amazon, and Nvidia. Mark also highlights significant options trades, volume insights, and closing prices. Additionally, listeners are informed about Public, a cost-effective trading platform that offers rebates on options trades. 00:26 Welcome to the Hot Options Report 01:05 Today's Market Overview 02:24 VIX Analysis 03:22 SPY and SPX Insights 04:30 Small Caps and QQQ Breakdown 06:04 Single Name Equity Options Highlights 14:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts ------------------------------------------------------------------------ All investing involves risk. Brokerage services for US listed securities, options and bonds in a self-directed brokerage account are offered by Open to the Public Investing Inc, member FINRA & SIPC. Not investment advice. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before considering any options strategy. Options investors can rapidly lose the value of their investment in a short period of time and incur permanent loss by expiration date. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount, and are only available for qualified customers. Index options have special features and fees that should be carefully considered, including settlement, exercise, expiration, tax, and cost characteristics. See Fee Schedule for all options trading fees. There are additional costs associated with option strategies that call for multiple purchases and sales of options, such as spreads, straddles, among others, as compared with a single option trade. Rebate rates vary monthly from $0.06-$0.18 and depend on the particular security, whether the trade was placed via API, as well as your current and prior month's options trading volume. Review Options Rebate Terms here. Rates are subject to change. Go to public.com/optionsbrief to learn more.


