0DTE Daily: Why Yesterday was Rough

BY MARK SEBASTIAN 

April 17, 2025

Hey Traders,

 

Markets had a rough day on Wednesday.

 

There are a couple of reasons this happened:

 

  1. The NVDA news was NOT good for tech names.
  2. Powell basically said there is no Fed put (a lie but cute)
  3. Expiation of index options on Thursday morning likely pushed the limits once the S&P 500 started selling off.

 

However, key levels did hold:

The S&P 500 closed above 5250: a key level to watch.

 

VIX was not overly strong on Wednesday, which was surprising.

Despite the selling, VIX really did not get much of a pop closing at 32.64; about 2% a day is pricing in right now.

 

When we get this kind of selling and VIX doesn’t fly, that means traders are getting tired of selling. Food for thought …

 

Finally – and this is a mixed signal – the DIA and IWM were relatively strong on Wednesday, which is somewhat of a decent sign. Although, I would be much happier if this happened on an up day.

 

Basically, things don’t LOOK like the market is going to fall apart.

 

And today might be strong; however, based on the NVDA news overnight, a shoe can always drop.

 

Make sure to join me and my team live at 10 a.m. ET – I am guiding you through this mess every day.

 

Add it to your calendar.

 

Let’s Recap Yesterday’s Trade

 

No Trade. We looked at a bull play, then Powell began talking … kinda put an end to that.

 

…Today’s Outlook

 

We are bullish and looking for a potential open lower than a rip. Be on the look out for a bounce off 5250 on Thursday.

 

Call Ted if you aren’t currently a member – 888 872 3301.

Your Only Option,

 

Mark Sebastian

 

Mark Sebastian

Founder & CEO, Option Pit

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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.

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