And the winner is…

Are the different levels of option approval in place to protect us, the traders, or are they in place to protect the brokers, or possibly both parties?

After filling up some loopholes with my previous article, Back to the Basics, I continue the discussion here with another commonly overlooked area of option trading ? option level approval. Brokers assign to their clients, at the time when the account is being opened, one of several option approval levels supposedly based on the option trader's knowledge and needs.

And the winner is…

I'm sad to report that fixed return options (aka FROs) will cease trading this spring, at least for a while…

Happy 2009, folks! Just wanted to kick off the new trading year with a few suggested resolutions for options traders. Add these to your 2009 list…

This article highlights the difference between being an options buyer and an options casino…

A number of readers have e-mailed me requesting both a further explanation and interpretation of the option chains. This article is aimed at explaining, in greater detail, how to read the option chain in order to make a better trading decision. This scrutiny of the option chain can give us better insight into the bias of options market makers…

A number of readers have e-mailed me requesting both a further explanation and interpretation of the option chains. This article is aimed at explaining, in greater detail, how to read the option chain in order to make a better trading decision. This scrutiny of the option chain can give us better insight into the bias of options market makers…

In this episode, Mark is joined by Tony Scianna and Peter Hauser of SunGard. Mark, Tony and Peter dive into the expansive, and often confusing, world of options trading software. This wide-ranging conversation explores all aspects of options software from trading and position analysis to clearing and risk management.

And the winner is…

Which candidate did options traders prefer in the recent presidential election? Which issues do they feel are the most pressing for the next administration? What are the leading trade triggers for options traders? Are options traders bullish or bearish right now? Which sectors are the most popular with options traders? Find out here….