VIX

Selling my VIX July and August options to complete my roll over into the November Call

Selling my VIX July and August options to complete my roll over into the November Call

Last Friday I recommended a buy of the November 17, 2021 Call Options on the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) with a strike at 18 for a new hedge in increased stock market volatility in the fall. The 3.32% drop that day to 15.44 took the index, which measures how much investors and traders are willing to pay to hedge against volatility in the S&P 500, took out the low for the VIX for 2021 and you have to go all the way back to February 10, 2020–before the pandemic knocked the stuffing out of stocks–to find a lower level for the “fear index” at 13.68. My thought on this buy was that at this price I was getting a chance to hedge volatility at a level that would generate a profit even if we didn’t get a big volatility event. Since that buy that Call Option (VIX211117C00018000) has climbed to $5.75 from my buy at $5.20 with a gain of 2.68% today. The VIX itself has edged high both today and yesterday to a close on June 29 at 16.11, up 2.22% on the day.

Rolling over my Call Options on the VIX as volatility fears continue to fall

Rolling over my Call Options on the VIX as volatility fears continue to fall

Investors and traders are less afraid of a drop in stocks than at any time in 2021. The CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX), which measures how much investors and traders are willing to pay to hedge against volatility in the S&P 500, is down another 3.32% to 15.44 today, June 25, as of 3:30 p.m. New York time. The drop took out the former low for the VIX for 2021 at 15.65. I have to go all the way back to February 10, 2020–before the pandemic knocked the stuffing out of stocks–to find a lower level for the “fear index” at 13.68. So today I’m buying Call Options on the VIX–which will go up if fear and the index climb for November 2021 with a strike at 19.

Selling my VIX July and August options to complete my roll over into the November Call

Business as usual today March 22–tech stocks rebound–except…which is why I’m buying more VIX options tomorrow

You’ve read this story before (in fact many times before) in the last month or so. Tech stocks rebounded after a day or two of selling. What was different (because it wasn’t a case of rotation but a continuation of a recent trend) was the continued drop in the CBOE S&P 500 Volatility Index (VIX) to 18.88, a decrease of 9.88%

Selling AAPL, FCX, NKTR, PXD, VIX options out of Volatility Portfolio on likelihood of continued downward trend in the market and looming expirations

Selling AAPL, FCX, NKTR, PXD, VIX options out of Volatility Portfolio on likelihood of continued downward trend in the market and looming expirations

In November and December I selectively added risk to my Volatility Portfolio in the expectation of a strong seasonal January Effect Rally and the odds of an end of the year bounce that would, temporarily, disrupt the developing bear market. I thought that was a...