Options allow investors and traders to enter into positions and to make money in ways that are not possible simple by buying or selling short the underlying security. If you only trade the underlying ...

Options techniques to maximize gains and lower risk in flat and volatile market conditions Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader.

Volatility is back towards the lowest levels we have seen in 2026 with the VIX Index closing at 14.87 on Monday. When ...

The straddle is an options trading strategy, so named for the shape it makes on a pricing chart; your position literally "straddles" the price of the underlying asset. With the straddle, you trade on ...

James Chen, CMT is an expert trader, investment adviser, and global market strategist. Samantha (Sam) Silberstein, CFP®, CSLP®, EA, is an experienced financial consultant. She has a demonstrated ...

Short dated index option trading has grown tremendously over the past few years. Most trading occurs in options expiring on the current or following day. We have been tracking the price behavior and ...

Options strategies can seem complicated, but that's because they offer you a great deal of flexibility in tailoring your potential returns and risks to your specific needs. One interesting strategy ...

A straddle means to either buy or sell a call and a put option on the same underlying stock, at the same strike price and expiration. A long straddle consists of buying both a call and a put, and is ...

The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) is down nearly 50% from the beginning of the year. It’s the biggest year-to-date drop at this point in the year in the history of the "fear index" (data back to 1990).