The Options Insider Radio Network

The Hot Options Report for January 13, 2026 delivers a daily breakdown of the most active stocks in the options market, highlighting where traders are placing the biggest bets across calls and puts. Hosted by Mark Longo of the Options Insider Radio Network, this episode analyzes unusual options activity and high-volume trades in Nvidia (NVDA), Tesla (TSLA), Intel (INTC), AMD (AMD), Meta Platforms (META), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Netflix (NFLX), Alphabet / Google (GOOGL), and Stride Inc. (ASST). Listeners get insight into: The most active options contracts of the day Opening vs. closing options flow In-the-money calls and deep ITM puts Short-term market sentiment and volatility How institutional traders may be positioning If you trade stock options, follow options flow, or track unusual options activity, The Hot Options Report provides actionable insight into what's moving the market after the closing bell. Explore the full data set and run your own reports at TheHotOptionsReport.com. Produced by the Options Insider Radio Network.

The tape is active, but is it explosive? Join Mark Longo on the Hot Options Report as we tear through the Top 10 most active names for Monday, January 12th. We're deep into the second full week of 2026, and the institutional paper is starting to show its hand. From Nvidia's massive Feb call overriding to Tesla's relentless tug-of-war at the 450 strike, we're breaking down the flow you need to know. On the Tape Today: The Big Two: Nvidia ($NVDA) and Tesla ($TSLA) battle for the #1 spot—see where the "smart money" is placing bets. The Comeback Kids: Alibaba ($BABA) explodes 10%—is the 170 call flow a sign of more to come? Plus, Oracle ($ORCL) regains its luster. Tech Check: We're tracking the paper in Apple ($AAPL), Amazon ($AMZN), and Netflix ($NFLX). Is that "closing paper" or a fresh volatility play? The Underdogs: Why Intel ($INTC) and SMCI are sneaking back into the Top 10. Don't trade in the dark. Get the institutional data that lighting up the options chains. Get More Heat: Full Data: TheHotOptionsReport.com Go Pro: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

Is Bitcoin losing its "Digital Gold" status to traditional metals? Host Mark Longo and Bill Ulivieri of Cenacle Capital Management kick off 2026 by breaking down a frustratingly quiet crypto market. While BTC and ETH move like "widows and orphans" stocks, a new institutional player—The Canton Network—is appearing on the horizon. In this episode, we dive into: The BTC Breakdown: Analyzing the massive gap between Bitcoin and Gold performance. Volatility Shifts: How IBIT and TradFi are killing the legendary "crypto upside skew." Altcoin Universe: Why Ethereum is "sleeping" and what's next for Solana and Circle (CRCL). The "Drumroll" Moment: Bill introduces the Canton Network—the institutional play for US Treasuries on the blockchain. The 2026 Crystal Ball: Mark and Bill place their bets on where the VIX ends the year. This episode is brought to you by Amberdata. Eliminate infrastructure headaches and access granular digital asset data today at www.amberdata.io .

Kick off the second full trading week of 2026 with Mark Longo (The Options Insider Media Group) and Uncle Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management) as they navigate a market that seemingly "doesn't give an F" about geopolitical turmoil. From potential military interventions to the Fed chair vs. the President, the panel breaks down why the S&P 500 continues to climb a wall of worry while the VIX remains suppressed. In this episode, we break down: The Trading Block: A look at the "Mad New Year" so far. Why is the VIX ignoring the headlines? Plus, a deep dive into the massive volume in Tesla ($TSLA), Nvidia ($NVDA), and the return of the Feb 15 VIX puts. The Odd Block: Unusual activity in newcomers Standard Lithium ($SLI) and Amprius Technologies ($AMPX). Is someone getting "AMP'd" up for a breakout? Smurfette Returns: We revisit the corrugated packaging play Smurfit WestRock ($SMURF). Is the Feb 50 call a smart overwrite or a speculative gamble ahead of earnings? Strategy Block: Uncle Mike discusses the current bond environment and why it might finally be time to look at covered calls on $IEF or $TLT for extra yield. Around the Block: What to expect from the official kickoff of earnings season with the big banks (JPM, WFC, BAC) reporting later this week.

Is the energy market preparing for a $20 crude oil "washout"? In this episode, we tackle the geopolitical chaos in Venezuela and why the energy tape isn't reacting the way the headlines suggested it would. Join host Mark Longo along with Dan Gramza (Gramza Capital Management) and Carley Garner (DeCarley Trading) for a deep dive into the energy complex. We break down the reality of Venezuela's deteriorating infrastructure, the "capitulation" patterns in WTI crude oil, and Dan Gramza's incredible victory in our 2025 VIX Crystal Ball contest. The Venezuela "Oil Spigot" Myth: Why Dan Gramza believes it will take 5–7 years to rebuild Venezuela's energy infrastructure despite the current political shift. Crude Oil Capitulation: Carley Garner explains why WTI crude never bottoms out quietly and why the $55 support level is the "danger zone" for a potential plunge into the $40s or $20s. WTI Options Analysis: Tracking the massive flow in the Feb contract—specifically the 55-strike "double puts" and the disappearance of the geopolitical call skew. Energy Skew & Volatility: Why the initial "tariff tantrum" and supply headlines have left the energy market in a state of neutral indecision.

Is the "Turnaround Trade" finally here for Intel? Host Mark Longo breaks down a massive day in the options market as we close out the first full trading week of 2026. From Intel's 11% rocket ship to Tesla's battle at the $445 strike, we're tracking the institutional paper and retail frenzy dominating the tape. What was lighting up the tape today? We dive into the Top 10 most active names, including a dense day of volume for Alphabet (GOOGL), Palantir (PLTR), and Amazon (AMZN). Plus, we look at the unusual long-term August paper hitting Netflix (NFLX) and why MicroStrategy (MSTR) bulls might be sweating after a 6% slide. Episode Highlights: Intel ($INTC) Fever: The stock that was $20 just months ago hits $45.55. We break down the winning 45-strike calls. Tesla ($TSLA) Tug-of-War: With over 3.2 million contracts traded, we look at the 445-strike action and why put buyers are feeling the pain. Nvidia ($NVDA) Check-in: A quarter-million contracts on the 185 strike—did the sellers win the day? The "Widow Maker" Returns: Analyzing the massive August 110 call buys in Netflix. Penny Sweaters: Why paper was hitting the bid on Open ($OPEN) and Apple ($AAPL) calls. Don't miss a beat! Get all the data used in today's show and more at TheHotOptionsReport.com . Kick the tires and light the fires on your trading for 2026.

It is a New Year in the volatility markets! Host Mark Longo is joined by "Dr. VIX" Russell Rhoads and Mark Sebastian of Option Pit to break down a wild 2025 and peer into the crystal ball for 2026. From the "tariff tantrums" and "taper tantrums" of last year to the rise of 0DTE options and the recent "face ripper" ratio spreads, the team analyzes why the VIX median stayed elevated even without major explosive events. Plus, the moment you've been waiting for: we crown the 2025 Crystal Ball Hall of Fame winners and launch the official 2026 contest! What's Inside this Episode: The Volatility Review: A deep dive into the 2025 "Mad Vol Year." Why was the median VIX so much higher than normal? The 0DTE Impact: How zero-day options are reshaping the term structure and long-dated premium. VIX Face Rippers: Russell breaks down the bizarre ratio call spreads hitting the tape and what they signal for January and April volatility. The Crystal Ball Hall of Fame: We announce the four winners who nailed the 14.95 year-end VIX close within 0.1pt. 2026 Predictions: The crew places their bets for the coming year. Can we see a sub-10 VIX, or will the midterms push us toward 17.76? Key Timestamps: [00:00] Introduction and "Happy New Year" Cutoff Debate [07:15] 2025 Year-in-Review: The high of 60 and the 14-handle reality [15:40] The "Tariff Tantrum" and Fixed Income Volatility [22:10] Term Structure Analysis: Why the current curve is "poison" for ETP longs [31:45] Russell's Weekly Rundown: Explaining the "Face Ripper" trades [45:10] Crystal Ball 2025 Winners Revealed [52:30] 2026 Official Predictions & Closing Levels Connect with the Guest Experts: Russell Rhoads: Follow on X @RussellRhoads Mark Sebastian: Visit OptionPit.com or follow on X @OptionPit Support the Network: This episode is brought to you by Tastytrade. See why Investopedia named them the best broker for options in 2024. Visit tastytrade.com/podcasts to learn more.

The first "January Lion" of 2026 has arrived. Join Mark Longo and Carley Garner of DeCarley Trading as they kick off the new year with a high-octane look at the futures options landscape. From the aftermath of a historic 2025 to the geopolitical shocks of the first week of January, this episode breaks down why the "old rules" of the commodity markets are being rewritten. In This Episode: The 2025 Retrospective: A look back at a "once-in-50-year" event in the metals complex. Carley provides a candid "humbling" on the massive surge in gold and silver, and why 2025 was the year of the devoted trend follower. The Silver Beast: Silver dominated last year with a 140%+ gain. Carley and Mark discuss the "Reverse 2020" effect, the impact of triple-leveraged ETFs, and why trading Silver options right now requires nerves of steel and a massive margin account. Movers & Shakers: * The Light Side: A continuation of the metals rally (Silver, Platinum, Palladium) and a surprising 5% YTD surge in the Russell 2000 ($RUT). The Dark Side: Energy struggles as WTI and Brent lead the losers, while Natural Gas faces a "trap door" at the $3.60 pivot. Equity Index Analysis: Why the "Mag 7" dominance is yielding to a Small-Cap catch-up play in the Russell. Plus, a strategy for "tail-risk nibbling" using deep out-of-the-money March and June puts. Energy & Geopolitics: The team breaks down the "Maduro effect" and why Venezuela's supply won't be a quick fix for the crude markets. Carley explores the possibility of a capitulation move in oil toward the low $40s. Viewer Q&A: The blurring lines between "trading" and "betting" as CME and FanDuel move closer together. Market Volatility Snapshot (CVOL) Treasury Yield Vol: Pinning the needle at 78.9 (High for the week). Energy CVOL: Popping to 60.6 as geopolitical tensions rise. Metals CVOL: Easing slightly to 31.0 despite massive moves in the underlying.

The first full trading week of 2026 continues to serve up a wild divergence in equity flow. In this episode, Mark Longo breaks down the top 10 most active names on the tape, revealing a market that is aggressively testing lines in the sand. While the "Monster" (MicroStrategy) claws its way back, the AI darlings are facing a stiff reality check. In This Episode: The Top 10 Countdown: We analyze the massive volume hitting the tape, with over half a million contracts required just to break into today's rankings. The AI Hangover: Nvidia ($NVDA) takes the #1 spot with 2.75M contracts, but it's not all bullish. We look at the 187.50 calls and whether sellers are finally taking control. Apple's $AAPL Rough Start: The fruit company continues its lackluster start to the year. We break down the massive deep-in-the-money put verticals clogging the tape. The "Monster" Lives: MicroStrategy ($MSTR) sees nearly 1M contracts as crypto bulls attempt to reclaim the $170 handle. Amazon's $AMZN Rally: One of the few bright spots in Big Tech today—we track the 62,000 in-the-money calls leading the dance. Aggressive Puts in AMD: Someone is drawing a serious line in the sand with nearly 88,000 of the Jan monthly $250 puts. Get more options data at TheHotOptionsReport.com.

The first Thursday of the new trading year is here, and the panel is back to break down a wild start to 2026. From record-breaking volume milestones to unusual activity in AI beauty tech and defense drones, the team dives deep into the forces shaping the market this week. In This Episode: The Trading Block: Mark Longo (The Options Insider), Uncle Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management), and the Flowmaster Henry Schwartz (Cboe) review a mixed start to the session. While the S&P 500 struggles for direction ahead of the jobs number, small caps (IWM) are off to the races—up 5% year-to-date. 2025 Year in Review: Henry Schwartz provides an exclusive data deep dive into the sixth straight record-breaking year for options. Average Daily Volume (ADV): Nearly 61 million contracts. The 15 Billionth Contract: Henry reveals he tracked down the exact moment the milestone occurred—a spread in CoreWeave on the day after Christmas. Strike Proliferation: The industry has officially topped 2 million individual strikes available for trade. Odd Block: Things get weird with unusual activity in: Caesars Entertainment (CZR): Heavy put volume and long-dated March 33 calls. Oddity Tech (ODD): A massive $640k bet on April 50 calls for this AI-driven beauty company. Vision-Wave (VWA): Bullish drone play with volume 16x the norm following geopolitical defense headlines. Mail Block: The team discusses how to track the growth of new retail accounts and why "buying the dip" continues to be a dominant, albeit debated, strategy. Around the Block: Predictions for the upcoming Supreme Court tariff decision, a preview of financial earnings (JPM, BAC, GS), and why the "Mag 10" equal-weighted index is the new one to watch.