This Short Vol Trade Can Still Work

The Option Pit VIX Traffic Light is Red: Volatility Is Likely to Drop.

Hey Traders, 


Well, the easy money has been made …


The 17-strike puts I told you to buy for $0.40 are now worth $1.15.


The 16-strike puts I said to buy for $0.25 are worth $0.55


The 15-strike puts I said to buy for $0.10 are now trading $0.25.


So the question now is …


What next?


The easy money has been made.


Just about every put that I had in my inventory is up more than 100%.


Whether it’s ProShares Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF (Ticker: UVXY) or VIX, owning puts PAID.


But now that the VIX is 15.10, and as I stated …


The EASY money has been made on short volatility.


Is there a short volatility trade that will work?


The answer is YES!


Volatility did get SMASHED on Wednesday, but the curve itself actually widened a touch:



Yesterday, the spread between the cash and the future was about 1.60. Now with the vol crush, it’s about 2.00 points.


Do I still think there is money to be made in November VIX options? 


Yes …


But there are better trades now.


Let’s start with UVXY.


UVXY got destroyed on Wednesday, dropping over 5.50%


But with the curve in a steep contango (futures trading progressively higher over cash), does anyone think the November 14-strike puts for $0.70 seem cheap?


I do.


When it comes to VIX itself, I would take a gander at December options.


December futures are trading 4.70 points above the cash.


As November approaches expiration, that is going to put a lot of pressure on VIX.


The 17-strike puts in December are actually CHEAPER than the 17-strike puts in November.


Why?


Because one has an underlying of 17.20, the other of 19.77.


December is the place to make money.


But …


There are even better trades than the ones I just laid out.


Want to know what they are? 


You have to be a member of Volatility Edge.


Your Only Option,

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian is a former member of both the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), where he spent years mastering the art of options trading in the most competitive environment imaginable. As Chief Investment Officer at the hedge fund Karman Line Capital, Mark manages sophisticated options strategies for institutional clients. He is the author of two highly regarded books on options trading: ‘The Option Traders Hedge Fund’ and ‘Trading Options for Edge.’ Mark is a frequent guest on major financial networks including CNBC, Fox Business News, Bloomberg, and First Business News, where he provides expert commentary on market volatility and options strategies.

Share This Article

About the Author

Mark Sebastian

Mark Sebastian

Former CBOE floor trader and CIO at Karman Line Capital. Author of ‘The Option Traders Hedge Fund’ with over 30 years of options trading experience.

Popular Posts

Categories

Stay Updated

Subscribe to our newsletter for daily trading insights

Upcoming Events

FOMC Meeting

2:00 PM EST

Earnings Season Begins

Pre-market

Options Expiration

Market Close

NFP Report

8:30 AM EST