

This Week in Futures Options
The Options Insider Radio Network
Gold, crude oil, corn, soybeans and more - with so many tradeable products the futures options market is an intimidating place. How can you possibly keep track of the latest trading activity across so many different products? Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered. Welcome to This Week in Futures Options - the program designed to help active futures options traders stay on top of this ever-changing marketplace. Each week we’ll break down the top trades, hot products, volatility explosions and much more. Whether you’re an experienced veteran or a newcomer looking to separate the wheat from the lean hogs, This Week in Futures Options has the information you can’t find anywhere else...
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 1, 2025 • 56min
TWIFO 459: Fed Dissent Amid A Historic Move For Copper
In the latest episode, Mark Longo alongside guest Rich Excel from Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign delve into a comprehensive analysis of various futures options markets and they look at volatility (CVOL) in the various complexes. They start with a detailed discussion on the dramatic price movements in copper, silver, and other metals, largely influenced by recent tariff news. They also explore the FX market, emphasizing the Euro/USD dynamics and share insights from Rich Excel’s recent CME Group report on hedging currency risk. Finally, the episode concludes with a focus on interest rates, particularly reflections on the Fed's recent decisions and their impacts on two-year treasury options. 01:22 Welcome to This Week in Futures Options 05:20 Movers and Shakers Report 14:43 Exploring the Metals Market 28:18 Silver Market Analysis 30:35 Exploring FX Markets 31:19 Hedging Currency Risks 32:11 Euro USD Futures Insights 34:17 FX Options Strategies 41:17 Interest Rate Market Overview 46:06 Two-Year Treasury Notes 51:22 Upcoming Agricultural Reports 53:01 Conclusion and Resources

Jul 25, 2025 • 56min
TWIFO 458: Shockingly Flat Skew in the Widow Maker
This episode of 'This Week in Futures Options' on the Options Insider Radio Network covers extensive details on various active commodities in the futures options market. The discussion begins with a breakdown of Nat Gas, analyzing its significant drop towards the three-handle and the activity around three puts and four calls. WTI's consistent trading around the 65 level and the potential implications are explored. Copper's tariff-driven surge and related options activity, including various put spreads, are examined. The show also touches on the behavior of Nasdaq during earning season and the rise of zero-day options in the futures market. Hosted by Mark Longo, with insights from Russell Rhoads, the episode dives into market sentiment, trading strategies, and key economic indicators shaping the futures options landscape. 02:41 Show Kickoff and New Network Edition 03:58 Guest Introduction: Russell Rhoads 04:50 Discussion on Retail vs. Institutional Trading 06:19 Movers and Shakers Report 11:56 Volatility Analysis 15:56 Energy Market Insights 26:00 Crude Oil Market Analysis 26:53 WTI and Nat Gas Volatility 27:26 Key Levels in Crude Oil 29:32 Put Options Activity in Crude 32:18 Copper Market Insights 42:01 Equity Indices During Earnings Season 48:16 Zero-Day Options and Market Sentiment 49:17 Concluding Thoughts and Listener Interaction

Jul 18, 2025 • 51min
TWIFO 457: Ags, Energy and Metals...Oh My!
In this episode, host Mark Longo is joined by Carley Garner from DeCarley Trading to examine recent movements and activities in a variety of futures options markets. The discussion opens with an overview of platforms and resources available to listeners such as the Options Insider app and the CME Group options database. The episode then dives into specifics, starting with significant trades and volatility shifts in natural gas, crude oil, and later shifting to agricultural products like Chicago wheat and corn. Unique market events, including recent copper volatility due to tariff news, are also analyzed. Garner provides professional insights into market behaviors and strategic recommendations across different asset classes. The session wraps up with a quick mention of the unusual trading activity in the livestock sector, particularly in live cattle. 04:39 Movers and Shakers Report 07:58 Volatility Insights 11:50 Deep Dive into Natural Gas 22:05 Crude Oil Market Analysis 25:44 Analyzing WTI Puts and Calls 27:35 Exploring Chicago Wheat Trends 31:31 Diving into Corn Market Dynamics 38:01 Copper Market Volatility and Strategies 44:56 Live Cattle Market Insights 46:19 Upcoming Shows and Final Thoughts

Jul 11, 2025 • 47min
TWIFO 456: Thunderstruck Futures
This episode delves into a range of topics with host Mark Longo and guest Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management. They discuss navigating the futures options market, highlighting the significant trades, volatility, and key products such as gold, crude oil, corn, and soybeans. They focus on market movers, noting increased volatility in various segments. Mike shares insights into the S&P 500 hitting new all-time highs and offers strategies for rolling up hedges. Discussions extend to the 10-year note, silver, and the dynamics of precious metals in 2023. 01:22 Welcome to This Week in Futures Options 04:33 Movers and Shakers Report 12:11 Exploring Market Volatility 15:09 Equities and Strategic Hedging 22:54 S&P 500 Trading Insights 23:38 Exploring Skew Perspectives 25:31 Diving into the 10-Year Note 33:12 Metals Market Analysis 42:42 Wrapping Up and Final Thoughts

Jun 27, 2025 • 40min
TWIFO 455: Shocks and Surprises in Small Caps
In this episode Mark Longo dives deep into the ever-changing futures options landscape. Key topics include the performance analysis of tradable products such as gold, crude oil, and soybeans, with an emphasis on the volatility and top trades in these markets. Additionally, the episode features a special guest, Catherine Yoshimoto from FTSE Russell, who discusses the upcoming Russell Reconstitution. She provides insights into the changes in the market cap breakpoint, the shift of some 'Mag Seven' stocks partially into the value category, and the move to semi-annual reconstitution in 2024. The podcast also touches on various aspects of the Russell 2000 index, including recent trading trends, volatility movements, and notable trading activity. The episode concludes with a detailed explanation of the scheduling and methodology changes coming to the Russell indices. 01:03 Welcome to This Week in Futures Options 04:24 Movers and Shakers Report 12:45 Deep Dive into Equities with Catherine Yoshimoto 13:45 Russell Reconstitution Insights 29:00 Russell 2000 Options Analysis 34:24 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

Jun 13, 2025 • 55min
TWIFO 454: Heavy Metal Squeezes and Wild Crude Ratios
This episode discusses key trades and trends across various futures options markets. The host, Mark Longo, along with guest Scott Bauer from Prosper Trading Academy, delve into the week’s major movers such as WTI crude oil, natural gas, and platinum. They also examine the volatility trends, trading strategies, and the impact of geopolitical events on these markets. Additionally, the episode covers the unique aspects of zero-day options in equity indexes, specifically the S&P 500 and NASDAQ, and how this phenomenon is reshaping trading strategies. 01:04 Welcome to This Week in Futures Options & Guest Introduction: Scott Bauer from Prosper Trading Academy 05:05 Movers and Shakers Report 12:18 Energy Market Analysis: WTI and Crude Oil 20:45 Natural Gas Market Insights 25:40 Market Recap: Key Figures and Trends 26:35 Options Activity in Metals: Silver, Gold, and More 27:44 Spotlight on Platinum: Unusual Volume and Trends 33:14 Gold's Rollercoaster: Highs, Lows, and Strategies 41:03 Equities and Index Options: Trends and Strategies 44:37 Zero-Day Options: A Game Changer 50:48 Conclusion and Resources

Jun 5, 2025 • 58min
TWIFO 453: Metals Whack-A-Mole
In this episode of 'This Week in Futures Options,' Mark Longo and Russell Rhoads (Indiana University - Kelley School of Business) dive deep into the world of futures and options trading, specifically focusing on the metal markets like silver, gold, and platinum. The discussion highlights the recent significant moves in the precious metals sector, with silver showing a substantial uptrend. The conversation shifts to copper and natural gas, with attention paid to their volatile trading volumes and market trends. Notably, the episode touches on the energy sector, particularly WTI crude oil, discussing its price movements and market factors. The episode also features a brief dive into the equity index space, analyzing the latest volatility trends and what to expect leading up to key economic announcements. Listeners are also updated on different trading strategies and the importance of skew in understanding market biases. 01:03 Welcome to This Week in Futures Options 03:46 Guest Introduction: Russell Rhoads 05:00 Movers and Shakers Report 11:50 Deep Dive into Silver and Gold 28:07 Exploring Platinum Trends 30:08 Analyzing Open Interest and Volume 30:36 Diving into Platinum and Copper Markets 31:16 Copper's Economic Indicators and Market Trends 32:10 Copper Options and Market Sentiment 35:46 Palladium and Transition to Energy Markets 36:44 Exploring Natural Gas Market Dynamics 43:36 Crude Oil Market Analysis 49:03 Equity Markets and Volatility Insights 54:22 Concluding Remarks and Upcoming Content

May 29, 2025 • 22min
TWIFO 452: SURPRISE Mover, Shakers and Surprise Nat Gas Upside
This episode starts with the 'Movers and Shakers' report, highlighting significant trades at the CME Group. The report indicates a bias towards the green, with notable activity in heating oil, Bitcoin, and palladium among others. The episode also discusses trading volumes and price volatility in Nat Gas, particularly highlighting active contracts and skew trends. The show wraps up with insights into various asset classes, including energies, metals, and agriculture, along with a focus on Nat Gas options. 00:00 Introduction to Options Insider Radio Network 03:27 Movers and Shakers Report 11:34 Diving into Nat Gas Options 18:49 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

May 22, 2025 • 28min
TWIFO 451: Breaking Down the Volatility in Energy, FX and....Shiba Futures?
This episode delves into the latest trends and trading activities in the futures options market. The show highlights significant movers, both to the upside and downside, in various markets including energy, agriculture, metals, and foreign exchange. Key points discussed include a comprehensive 'Movers and Shakers' report, a focus on WTI Crude Oil trading dynamics, and a detailed breakdown of volatility in different asset classes. The episode also touches on the unique trading activities in Bitcoin and jokes about hypothetical Shiba Inu futures. 01:21 This Week in Futures Options 03:56 Movers and Shakers Report 13:52 Energy Market Analysis 20:54 FX Market Insights 24:05 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

May 15, 2025 • 1h 12min
TWIFO 450: Addicted to Long Gamma in Nat Gas, Gold and more
In this special 450th episode Mark Longo is joined by veteran guests Dan Gramza (Gramza Capital Management) and Nick Howard (Bantix Technologies and QuikStrike) to break down the complex world of futures options trading. The team dives into the movers and shakers in the futures options market, covering key sectors like gold, crude oil, and natural gas. They discuss the latest trends in these sectors, analyzing options trading volumes, their impacts, and future predictions. The episode also explores the tools available on QuikStrike, including the newly updated CVOL tool and its potential for volatility trading. The discussion wraps up with detailed analyses from Gramza and Howard, providing insights into the nuances of equity options trading in the current market. 01:22 Welcome to This Week in Futures Options 03:57 Episode 450 Special Guests 05:38 Movers and Shakers Report 09:53 Exploring the CVOL Tool 17:20 Deep Dive into Gold Options 30:44 Analyzing Nat Gas Trends 34:10 Natural Gas Market Dynamics 35:32 Nat Gas Volatility and Market Sentiment 42:17 WTI Crude Oil Market Analysis 53:12 Equities Market Insights 01:04:13 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook