The Options Insider Radio Network

In this episode, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli take a nostalgic trip back to the 80s to become the Masters of the Volatility Universe. Whether you're a "Prince Adam" of the markets or just starting your basic training, this episode is a comprehensive refresher on the most important force in options pricing: Volatility. The Drill Instructors break down: Volatility as the Speedometer: Why direction matters less than velocity when measuring vol. Realized vs. Historical Volatility: Understanding the concrete, backward-looking data of price swings. Implied Volatility (IV): Why Mark calls it the "Fudge Factor" of the options market and how it acts as a forward-looking forecast. The Volatility Risk Premium (VRP): Why options are often "overpriced" and how premium sellers harvest that edge. Supply and Demand: Dan's take on why IV is often more about market noise than actual future predictions. 2026 VIX Prognostications: Where will the "Fear Gauge" end the year? Dan puts his official number on the record.

The "Greenland Effect" took hold of the tape this Tuesday as geopolitical friction sent the markets into a sea of red. In this episode of The Hot Options Report, host Mark Longo analyzes a high-stakes session where safe-haven scrambles and tariff threats dominated the flow. While the top 10 required nearly half a million contracts just to break in, the real story was the massive retreat in semi-conductors and tech giants. Inside the Top 10 Options Breakdown: Nvidia (NVDA): The undisputed king puts up exactly 2.00 million contracts as trade war fears drive a 4.5% slide. Are traders loading up on the $180 calls for a late-week bounce? Netflix (NFLX): "Rolling the bones" ahead of earnings. We track the massive 100-strike call volume and the immediate $4 after-hours drop following the bell. Tesla (TSLA): A rough 4.2% haircut. We analyze the heavy activity in the now-in-the-money 425 puts as the 500 level fades into the rearview. The "Greenland" Laggards: Why Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) faced a straight drumming, while Micron (MU) and AMD briefly managed to find some green on the screen. Intel (INTC): A surprise move in the March $55 calls—is paper looking for a long-term overwrite or a massive recovery breakout? Resources: Get more options data: TheHotOptionsReport.com

Join Mark Longo for the Friday, January 16th edition of the Hot Options Report as he breaks down a "banger" of a day in the options market. On a day where it took a massive 779,000 contracts just to break into the Top 10, the tape was dominated by explosive moves in semiconductors and some truly wild corporate "shenanigans." Today's Top Options Trading Stories: The Wolf Speed Phenomenon: Ticker WOLF shocks the market by kicking Nvidia and Tesla to the curb for the #1 spot. With 3.44 million contracts traded, the action was fueled by corporate restructuring fallout and a massive 1.14 million block of Jan 2 Puts. * The Semiconductor Surge: It was a banner day for chips. Micron (MU) popped nearly 8%, SMCI rallied 11%, and AMD saw heavy volume despite a late-day fade. We look at the strikes that paid off and the ones that left traders sweating. Tech Titan Tumble: Major names like Apple (AAPL) and Palantir (PLTR) came under pressure, leading to heavy premium-selling activity in near-term weekly options. Tesla & Nvidia Update: Even with massive volume, these perennial leaders fell to #2 and #3. We analyze the heavy interest in Nvidia's 190 calls and Tesla's 440 strike as traders fought for position. Hot Trade Insights: Micron (MU): A happy day for the 360 call buyers who caught the $26 surge. SMCI: High-velocity trading in the 30.5 calls as the stock cleared $32. Intel (INTC): A deep dive into the 50 strike that paper has been watching for weeks. For even more deep-dive data into today's options tape, visit TheHotOptionsReport.com .

In this episode, Mark Longo is joined by Dr VIX Russell Rhoads and Andrew Giovinazzi (The Rock Lobster) to conduct a "post-mortem" on 2025 and break down the surprising trends defining the start of 2026. The team dives deep into the VIX/SPX correlation breakdown, exploring why the traditional inverse relationship failed many traders last year. Russell brings the hard data, revealing how 2025 nearly set a record for the highest inverse correlation—making diversification more difficult than ever. Topics covered in this episode: Volatility Review: A look at the "yo-yo" week in the S&P and the recent firmness in VIX Cash. The Correlation Myth: Why "buying the dip" worked but "shorting vol" was a losing battle in 2025. VIX Term Structure: Analysis of the Jan/Feb futures and the 100% premium to realized volatility. VIX Options Flow: Breaking down the massive activity in Jan 17 calls and the persistent "magic" of the 15 puts. The Crystal Ball: The team places their bets for next week's VIX close and debuts their 2026 year-end predictions.

Is Silver the new meme stock? Are Small Caps finally ready to lead the pack? Join Mark Longo of The Options Insider and special guest Rich Excell from the University of Illinois (and the Stay Vigilant Substack) as they break down a historic week in the futures options markets. From parabolic moves in metals to a massive rotation within the equity space, the guys analyze the data you can't find anywhere else. Inside This Episode: The Great Equity Rotation: Why tech is taking a backseat as the Russell 2000 (RUT) explodes. Is this the "mean reversion" trade of the decade? Silver's Parabolic Run: Silver is up over 20% in a week. We look at the "price insensitive" buying and the wild 120/125 call spreads hitting the tape. Treasury Volatility Collapse: With Treasury price vol hitting anemic lows, Rich explains why he's looking at asymmetric put butterflies to hedge against a yield backup. Movers & Shakers: A 70/30 split to the green side at CME Group this week. We analyze the carnage in Nat Gas versus the "heater" in Platinum and Soybean Oil. Crypto Divergence: Why the tech use cases for Ethereum and Solana are starting to outpace Bitcoin in the eyes of the market. Technical Deep Dives: Skew Analysis: Why silver calls remain bid despite the massive price surge. RUT Options: Analyzing the heavy flow in the March 2500/2400 put spreads. CVOL Insights: Tracking the surge in Metals vol versus the "nothing burger" in Treasury yield vol. Connect with the Show: Follow Rich Excell: @ExcellRichard or his Substack, Stay Vigilant . Track the Data: CME Group QuikStrike/TWIFO Go Pro: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

The markets are showing a splash of green as we break down a wild week in trading with The Flowmaster Henry Schwartz (Cboe Global Markets) and Uncle Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management). From the unprecedented 20% weekly surge in Silver to the aggressive rotation out of Mag 7 tech and into Biotechs and Small Caps, this episode covers the critical moves every options trader needs to know. Plus, we look ahead to a heavy earnings week and reveal the panel's official 2026 VIX Crystal Ball predictions. On This Episode: The Trading Block: The "Meme-ification" of Silver The Silver Surge: Why Uncle Mike thinks Silver has officially entered "meme stock" territory after a staggering 20% move in one week. Market Rotation: Is the Mag 7 reign over? We discuss the rotation into the Russell 2000 (IWM) and the energy sector. Volatility Check: VIX comes back to earth toward the 15 handle, but the VVX remains "frothy" at 98. The Odd Block: Unusual Activity in Small-Cap Tech and Bio Ardelyx (ARDX): Aggressive call buying in this biotech after a legal dismissal. Is there a clinical catalyst on the horizon? T1 Energy (TE): A massive sweep in the February 10 calls. Why Henry is keeping a "steely gaze" on alternative energy. Clearway Energy (CWEN): Unusual March 40 call buyers as the clean energy sector sees a resurgence. The Mail Block: The 2026 VIX Crystal Ball The panel places their official bets on where the VIX will close on December 31st, 2026. Around the Block: Earnings & Geopolitics Earnings Watch: Initial results from Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Taiwan Semi (TSM). Looking Ahead: Previewing moves for Netflix (NFLX), United Airlines (UAL), Intel (INTC), and Charles Schwab (SCHW). The Global Picture: Keeping an eye on Venezuela, Iran, and the upcoming STA Conference in Chicago.

It's a massive Thursday on the Hot Options Report (THOR) as host Mark Longo breaks down one of the most active trading sessions of 2026 so far. With nearly 800,000 contracts required just to break into the Top 10, the tape was on fire. We dive into the "on-again, off-again" dance between Nvidia and China, Intel's wild 25% year-to-date run, and a strange wave of deep-in-the-money and out-of-the-money puts dominating the tape in Apple, Microsoft, and Netflix ahead of Friday's expiration. The Top 10 Breakdown #1: NVIDIA (NVDA): Still the undisputed king with 2.76M contracts. Rallying 2% on China export optimism, traders are eyeing the $190 strike for tomorrow's close. #2: Tesla (TSLA): A tug-of-war at $438. Over 100k contracts traded at the $450 strike. Can the bulls reclaim that level by the bell? #3: Netflix (NFLX): "The Widowmaker" puts up 1.3M contracts. Significant interest in the $105 OTM puts expiring tomorrow. #4: AMD: Substantial volume in the $235 calls despite a close below $228. Are traders "rolling the bones" or getting trapped? #5: Apple (AAPL): 1.08M contracts. Unusual activity in the $270 ITM puts as the "Fruit Company" sells off. #6: Meta (META): Bucking the "tech wreck" to rally back to $620. Funky paper hitting the $650 OTM puts. #7: Microsoft (MSFT): A rough start to the year continues. We analyze 75,000 contracts of the deep-in-the-money $495 puts. #8: MicroStrategy (MSTR): "The Monster" gives back some gains. 875,000 contracts on the tape with heavy action in the $175 calls. #9: Intel (INTC): Up 25% YTD but cooling off today. Is the "closing paper" at the Jan $50 strike a sign of a local top? #10: AbbVie (ABBV): Breaking into the Top 10 on X-Div action with 171k contracts in the Jan $210 calls. Key Takeaways & Market Intel Semiconductor Sentiment: Between Nvidia's China news and Intel's massive YTD surge, chips continue to drive the lion's share of options volume. Expiration Fever: A recurring theme of massive put volume across Big Tech (Apple, Microsoft, Netflix) suggests high-stakes positioning ahead of the Friday options expiration. Market Heat: Why 800k contracts is the "new normal" for the Top 10 in 2026. Resources & Links Get the Data: TheHotOptionsReport.com Go Pro: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro (Join us for Vol Death Match 2.0!) Follow on Twitter: @Options

Is the "Silver Rampage" the start of a massive new commodity super cycle? On this episode of The Futures Rundown, Mark Longo is joined by the newly minted VIX Crystal Ball Hall of Famer, Rich Excel, to break down one of the wildest weeks in commodity history. While the "Tech Wreck" pulls down equities, the metals are lighting up the tape with silver posting a massive 19% gain in a single week. We dive deep into why "price insensitive buyers" are driving spot prices higher and what it means for your trailing stops. Inside This Episode: 0:00 - Intro & The VIX Hall of Fame Induction 3:45 - Metals Dominance: Why Gold led and Silver is finally catching up with abandon. 7:15 - The Energy Flare-Up: WTI, Brent, and Heating Oil's 10%+ weekly surge. 11:00 - Silver Squeeze 2026: Are we looking at $100 Silver? Analyzing the 100+ IV. 16:30 - Ag Markets & The Breakfast Table: Why OJ and Cocoa are cratering while everything else pops. 21:10 - VIX Crystal Ball 2026: Rich Excel gives his official "Revolutionary" year-end prediction. 26:45 - Hogwarts for Traders: How the derivatives experts are positioned for Q1. Resources for Traders: Brought to you by Tastytrade: tastytrade.com/podcasts Join the Pro Team: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro #FuturesTrading #SilverShortSqueeze #GoldPrice #Commodities #VIX #MacroInvesting #SilverPrice #EnergyFutures #Tastytrade #FuturesRundown

Is the tech wreck just beginning, or are these "power puts" in Microsoft a sign of a short-term bottom? On today's Hot Options Report, Mark Longo breaks down a high-velocity Wednesday where the "Fruit Company" saw heavy opening flow and MicroStrategy (MSTR) continues to be the primary lightning rod for crypto volatility. In this episode, we slice through the tape to look at: The Top 10 Countdown: From Microsoft (MSFT) giving back to the market gods to Nvidia (NVDA) holding the #1 spot despite lighter volume. The Big Tech Sell-Off: Analyzing the massive opening flow in the Meta 670 Puts and the "Power Puts" in MSFT. Bucking the Trend: Why AMD and Intel (INTC) managed to rally while the rest of the sector saw red. The Apple Play: A deep dive into the AAPL $260 At-The-Money calls—was this a bold bet or a massive mistake? MicroStrategy (MSTR) Madness: How MSTR briefly hit the $190 strike and what it means for the crypto-option correlation in 2026. Dividend Plays: Why Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) exploded for 1.37 million contracts. Data Highlight: Want to see the flow we didn't have time to cover? Slice and dice the entire market yourself at TheHotOptionsReport.com . High-fidelity data at a price you can't beat. Contact Information: Visit the Network: TheOptionsInsider.com Get the App: Available on iTunes and Google Play. Follow the Data: TheHotOptionsReport.com

Options Boot Camp Episode 373 explores two major themes shaping today's options market: the rapid rise of IBIT options volume and the most misunderstood options trading strategies. Hosts Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli break down why strategies like cash-secured puts, long puts, straddles, butterflies, and iron condors are frequently misused by traders, often due to poor education and unrealistic expectations. The discussion explains why "being okay with assignment" is not the same as wanting assignment, and how that distinction can dramatically change trading outcomes. The episode also examines how IBIT options rivaling VIX in volume has reshaped Bitcoin options trading, altered volatility skew, and attracted institutional and premium-selling participants to crypto markets. Designed for traders of all experience levels, Options Boot Camp delivers practical options education, real-world examples, and clear explanations of complex strategies. Produced by the Options Insider Radio Network.