Skip to main content

Is fear creeping back in?

Yesterday on CNBC, Brian talked about the possibility of fear creeping back in to the market. After 7 straight days of gains, the market struggled to make it in to the green. Brian feels there might be a little bit of worry because the VIX futures are trading significantly higher which leads us to believe people think volatility will rise. Although there is fear, Brian notes that much of it is to the upside right now because there has been a huge move off the bottom. He recommends taking a look at the VIX to give a gauge of where the market is going. Brian's example on how to play it is Southwest Airlines. Here he wants to define his risk and buy a slightly in-the-money call. His only risk here is at much as he paid for the call and you can still participate in the upside.


Fear back in the picture?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Is the KCJ Foreshadowing a 2008 Repeat?

The CBOE Correlation Index (KCJ) is close to the lowest level we have seen since it was first listed in 2007. The KCJ measures the implied movement of the S&P 500 components options, compared to the implied movement of the S&P 500 index options. Simply put, the higher the number, the more likely all stocks are going to move together. Conversely, a low number will be characterized by sector rotation, and flat markets; one sector moves higher, another moves lower.  (Source: Access Hollywood) Correlation, for lack of a better term, is correlated with volatility. Not surprisingly, 30-day S&P 500 historical volatility is near the low level of 6.5%. Currently at 33.5, KCJ is sitting close to rock bottom, lower than where it was in 2007, (but not lower than where Lindsay Lohan was in 2007).  So far this year, the market has been able to grind higher, characterized by leadership in FANG(Facebook Apple/Amazon, Netflix, Google) and sector rotation. A...

I would like to bet ten tens on the tenth horse in the tenth race, please.

"I would like to bet ten tens on the tenth horse in the tenth race, please." Last summer, on a warm cloudy day June 11 ,  2016 in Elmont New York, a good friend of mine (Rob) confidently walked up to the cashier at Belmont and spoke those famous words.  Ten Tens on Ten in the Tenth Race.  In fact, it had been decided it months earlier. We had been discussing hosting his bachelor party in New York, go to the Belmont Stakes, and watch a Yankees vs Tigers game and Rob convinced the group to go to New York by proudly proclaimed his prophecy.  I had almost forgotten about this bold prediction when I witnessed him at the register, but when I looked up, and saw Flintshire, the 10 th horse in the race upcoming race was the favorite.  “What could possibly go wrong?”  I thought to myself (an options trader who bought a racing program attempting to handicap and gain an ‘edge’ in the previous nine races unsuccessfully).  I went to a pretzel vendor and...