Option Block 145: What Is the Point of Open Interest?

Trading Block: The term structure of the VIX was today's worst enemy. Netflix, the widowmaker, reporting after the bell, and exhibiting its typical bad behavior. Apple seems stuck in the $570 range going into earnings. Revisiting a question from last week, what account size do you need to really trade Apple effectively? Odd Block: Unusual and interesting activity in Aastrom Biosciences (ASTM), IAC Interactive Corp. (IACI), and Old Fields Ltd (GFI).Xpress Block: Tim Navabi discusses earnings and some of the things you may want to be concerned about when trading options going into earnings.Mail Block: Taking on listener questions.Around the Block: The big news is Apple earnings tomorrow. Will the continued decline in Apple have a continued affect across the broad market? Andrew's favorite, Zenga, reports earnings on 4/26. Also, Amazon 4/26, Ford 4/27, AMZN 4/26, and F 4/27

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Option Block 144: Walking into the Bandsaw of Theta

Trading Block: Tosaw's run with Apple may be on its last legs. Loads of earnings after the close: NOT AAPL, but AMD, Bank of America (BOA), and Microsoft (MSFT). Odd Block: Unusual and interesting activity inPandora Media, Inc. (P), CBS Corp. (CBS), and EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO).Xpress Block: Tim Navabi discusses being prepared for expiration and keeping an eye on your position during price swing movements. Strategy Block: Uncle Mike Tosaw discusses how to get back into a stock once you have been called out of it. Around the Block: More earnings coming up.

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Option Block 144: Walking into the Bandsaw of Theta

Trading Block: Tosaw's run with Apple may be on its last legs. Loads of earnings after the close: NOT AAPL, but AMD, Bank of America (BOA), and Microsoft (MSFT). Odd Block: Unusual and interesting activity inPandora Media, Inc. (P), CBS Corp. (CBS), and EXCO Resources, Inc. (XCO).Xpress Block: Tim Navabi discusses being prepared for expiration and keeping an eye on your position during price swing movements. Strategy Block: Uncle Mike Tosaw discusses how to get back into a stock once you have been called out of it. Around the Block: More earnings coming up.

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Option Block 143: Apple Apocalypse

Trading Block: S&P rally vs. NASDAQ (Apple) apocalypse. AAPL sold out aggressively, down about 4%. Tosaw suggested last week the many buyers were lurking around $600. Priceline, Google and Apple were all down on the day. Andrew has a theory on why. Ten-year note rebound.Odd Block: An Apple overview, and unusual activity in Arvin Meritor INC. (MTOR). Xpress Block: John Grigus sits down in the OX hot seat and discusses earnings, Citi and OX's parent company, Charles Schwab. Other activity in Starbucks, Amazon and Chipotle. Mail Block: Capitol requirement for trading AAPL?Around the Block: Keeping an eye on Spain. Huge earnings week ahead: APPL, CMG, BAC, INTC, AMD, NOK all this week.

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Option Block 143: Apple Apocalypse

Trading Block: S&P rally vs. NASDAQ (Apple) apocalypse. AAPL sold out aggressively, down about 4%. Tosaw suggested last week the many buyers were lurking around $600. Priceline, Google and Apple were all down on the day. Andrew has a theory on why. Ten-year note rebound.Odd Block: An Apple overview, and unusual activity in Arvin Meritor INC. (MTOR). Xpress Block: John Grigus sits down in the OX hot seat and discusses earnings, Citi and OX's parent company, Charles Schwab. Other activity in Starbucks, Amazon and Chipotle. Mail Block: Capitol requirement for trading AAPL?Around the Block: Keeping an eye on Spain. Huge earnings week ahead: APPL, CMG, BAC, INTC, AMD, NOK all this week.

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Option Block 142: Premium Selling Idiots

Trading Block: VIX popped out of its range — so much for fading to the downside. Apple, the target of an antitrust suit, was still up 1% yesterday. Commodities rundown — new 10 year lows reached in the natural gas market. Odd Block: Interesting and unusual activity in Iron Mountain (IRM).Xpress Block: Mike Z from OX sits down for his first Xpress Block and discusses the announcement of ICE launching a cash settled grain futures contracts. Strategy Block: Mike Tosaw goes over the difference between being a degenerate premium seller and just being an idiot — and how to be the former instead of the latter.Around the Block: Earnings are back baby! Google after the bell today. Intel earnings – 4/17. Thursday is (4/19) the big day with — CMG, LUV, BAC, AMD, NOK. Keeping an eye on short puts in crude oil.

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Option Block 142: Premium Selling Idiots

Trading Block: VIX popped out of its range — so much for fading to the downside. Apple, the target of an antitrust suit, was still up 1% yesterday. Commodities rundown — new 10 year lows reached in the natural gas market. Odd Block: Interesting and unusual activity in Iron Mountain (IRM).Xpress Block: Mike Z from OX sits down for his first Xpress Block and discusses the announcement of ICE launching a cash settled grain futures contracts. Strategy Block: Mike Tosaw goes over the difference between being a degenerate premium seller and just being an idiot — and how to be the former instead of the latter.Around the Block: Earnings are back baby! Google after the bell today. Intel earnings – 4/17. Thursday is (4/19) the big day with — CMG, LUV, BAC, AMD, NOK. Keeping an eye on short puts in crude oil.

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Option Block 141: Getting Long Prison Premium

Trading Block: Market down today in the wake of weak non-farm numbers on Friday. Yet Apple still up, if only by 1/2%. VIX heading north. It’s the $1billion day — Microsoft buys 800 AOL patents for $1B and Facebook buys Instagram for $1B. Odd Block: Interesting and unusual activity in America Online (AOL) and Corrections Corps of America (CXW).Xpress Block: John Grigus sits down at the OX desk and discusses the possibility of mini-stocks (1/10th size). Mail Block: Open Interest QuestionAround the Block: Looking to see if the vol can expand a little more – waiting for the bulls to come back. Keeping an eye on initial claims given the weak jobs number. Alcoa earnings 4/10, Google earnings 4/12.

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Option Block 141: Getting Long Prison Premium

Trading Block: Market down today in the wake of weak non-farm numbers on Friday. Yet Apple still up, if only by 1/2%. VIX heading north. It’s the $1billion day — Microsoft buys 800 AOL patents for $1B and Facebook buys Instagram for $1B. Odd Block: Interesting and unusual activity in America Online (AOL) and Corrections Corps of America (CXW).Xpress Block: John Grigus sits down at the OX desk and discusses the possibility of mini-stocks (1/10th size). Mail Block: Open Interest QuestionAround the Block: Looking to see if the vol can expand a little more – waiting for the bulls to come back. Keeping an eye on initial claims given the weak jobs number. Alcoa earnings 4/10, Google earnings 4/12.

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Option Block 140: Doing Stuff with the Funk

Trading Block: The markets were aimless today except for Apple carrying the NASDAQ. It's a weekday, so Apple must be up 1%. Vol rundown. The mainstream media finally starts to pick up on what we've been saying about VIX, VXX and the TVIX all along, "Curious Case of VIX and VIX Products."Odd Block: Activity review from March 8: Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL). Unusual activity today in: Wellcare Health Plans Inc. (WCG).Xpress Block: Newcomer Anitra DuPart jumps into the OX hot seat and today's customer activity at optionsXpress. Jobless claims and an Apple rally gave a little bounce to the market. Bed, Bath & Beyond (BBY) came out with earnings today, profits up 32%.Strategy Block: Uncle Mike Tosaw sits down and discusses some valuable life lessons. First, you must have trust when working with a business partner, financial planner, etc. – even Bernie Madoff has a clean record. Second, you must understand the important of financial education. Around the Block: Watching the weekend, it hasn't really come out yet. The endless European crisis continues, but switches the Spain.

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Option Block 140: Doing Stuff with the Funk

Trading Block: The markets were aimless today except for Apple carrying the NASDAQ. It's a weekday, so Apple must be up 1%. Vol rundown. The mainstream media finally starts to pick up on what we've been saying about VIX, VXX and the TVIX all along, "Curious Case of VIX and VIX Products."Odd Block: Activity review from March 8: Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL). Unusual activity today in: Wellcare Health Plans Inc. (WCG).Xpress Block: Newcomer Anitra DuPart jumps into the OX hot seat and today's customer activity at optionsXpress. Jobless claims and an Apple rally gave a little bounce to the market. Bed, Bath & Beyond (BBY) came out with earnings today, profits up 32%.Strategy Block: Uncle Mike Tosaw sits down and discusses some valuable life lessons. First, you must have trust when working with a business partner, financial planner, etc. – even Bernie Madoff has a clean record. Second, you must understand the important of financial education. Around the Block: Watching the weekend, it hasn't really come out yet. The endless European crisis continues, but switches the Spain.

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Option Block 139: No More Exchanges, Please

Trading Block: Lots of upside on the day: Dow, S&P, NASDAQ, and VIX. The many masters of VIX. Andrew and the love of fundamental indicators. Doing stuff – NASDAQ-style. Yes, they're launching ANOTHER options platform. More fragmentation! More issues with spreading! More quotes! The more the merrier? Um, not so much. The gang also discusses myriad ways to improve the market, including regulation, margin, managing risk, and doing stuff. Odd Block: Unusual activity in Gap, Inc. (GPS), Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA), and TJX Compaines, Inc. (TJX).Xpress Block: Groupon restates earnings from last quarter, sparking several calls to the trading desk. Around the Block: Shortened trading week this week, so make sure you price the weekend out accordingly. Andrew is thinking that volatility will come in a little. Webinars are on the calendar for KYO in April and May. Non-farm payrolls are still coming out on Friday, despite the market being closed.

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