XOP
XOP: Plan to LONG XOP for two weeksPlan to buy CALL on Monday Open, then keep it for two weeks.
details information @
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Energy; The Contrarian PositionEnergy is now historically low in regards to it's percentage allocation in the S&P 500 components.
Likely going to build a long term position if we reach the target, likely early 2020
XOP 3x levered GUSH is trading in the $2's haha... going to need to split soon
THE WEEK AHEAD: GDXJ, XOP, /CLEARNINGS:
No earnings announcements this coming week in underlyings with highly liquid options with ideal rank/implied metrics (>70% rank/>50% 30-day implied).
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS:
SLV (86/30)
GDX (80/17)
TLT (63/16
GDX (63/33)
GDXJ (61/36)
XOP (44/41)
Like a broken record for the umpteenth week in a row: precious metals,, with GDXJ offering the best volatility metrics (>50% rank/>35% 30-day implied) .
BROAD MARKET:
IWM (24/19)
SPY (20/15)
QQQ (16/19)
EEM (12/17)
EFA (16/12)
Objectively, broad market premium selling isn't paying greatly here in <90 days 'til expiry duration: IWM November 155 short straddle, 8.84, 5.7% of the current stock price; December 155 short straddle, 11.66, 7.5%; January 155 short straddle, 13.09, 8.4%, with the first expiry paying greater than 10% in March (March 20th 155, 16.47) with the correspondent March 20th nearest the 16 delta short strangle 130/175 paying 3.19. This isn't horrid, but represents a long time to wait for your candy, although a less than 50% max take profit on such a setup might be compelling for some. (e.g., 25% max take profit of .80 ($80) as opposed to waiting for a full 50.
FUTURES:
/SI (86/29)
/GC (80/16)
/UB (63/5)
/ZB (63/11)
/6B (62/26)
/ZS (65/26)
/ZN (49/6)
/ZC (43/23)
/CL (37/42)
Although /CL rank isn't ideal here, keep in mind that we had that mid-September OVX pop, which will skew where the current 30-day lies in relation to the 52-week range. The November 15th 58.5 short straddle is paying 6.67, 11.4% of where WTI is currently trading; the December 16th 58.5, 8.20, 14%, with their corresponding 16 delta short strangles paying 1.44* and 1.77** respectively, both of which beat a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
VIX/VIX DERIVATIVES:
VIX finished the week at 15.32 ... . Continue to hand sit on short volatility setups, waiting for VIX prints of >20.
* -- The November 15th 51/70.
** -- The December 16th 49/71.5.
XOP: will buy XOP around tomorrow noon Sep/10 2019Maybe before EIA report, there will be a good enty
THE WEEK AHEAD: GDX, GDXJ, XOP, EEM, VIX/VIX DERIVATIVESEARNINGS
No options highly liquid underlying earnings announcements this coming week.
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
Ordered by implied volatility rank, with GDX, GDXJ, and XOP providing the best rank/implied volatility metrics for premium selling (>50% rank/>35% implied):
SLV (96/29)
GLD (95/18)
GDX (82/35)
GDXJ (80/40)
TLT (69/16)
FXI (54/26)
XOP (52/43)
The 16 delta GDXJ Oct 18th 36/49 short strangle is paying 1.16 at the mid price (.58 at 50 max), the GDX Oct 18th 30 short straddle, 3.19 (.80 at 25 max), and the XOP Oct 18th
21 short straddle, 2.67 (.67 at 25 max).
BROAD MARKET
EEM (51/23)
IWM (48/25)
SPY (43/20)
QQQ (35/25)
EFA (22/17)
Pictured here is an EEM 1 x 2 short strangle in the January cycle with the short put camped out at the 18 delta, the doubled up short calls at the 8's to accommodate skew. Paying 1.18 at the mid price (.59 at 50% max), it has break evens of 32.82/45.59 and delta/theta metrics of .97/1.56.
Alternatively, the Jan 17th 39 short straddle is paying 4.32 (1.08 at 25 max).
If EEM doesn't suit your fancy, the IWM Jan 17th 131/156 short strangle camped out around the 16 deltas is paying 2.16 at the mid price (1.08 at 50 max); the QQQ Dec 20th 16 delta 158/202 short strangle pays 4.05 (2.02 at 50 max); and the SPY March 20th 240/315, 7.39 (3.70 at 50 max).*
VIX/VIX DERIVATIVES
Continue to look to add small, bearish assumption plays in VIX/VIX derivatives on VIX prints of >20, with higher prints naturally being better. With the derivatives in particular, look to VIX levels as the guide for entries and not to the derivative itself (e.g., UVXY, VXX), since beta slippage and contango plays into these derivatives, making it more difficult to discern levels. The general plays remain: at-the-money VIX long put verticals or short call verticals paying at least one-third the width of the spread in credit (or, in the case of the debit spread, less than two-thirds the width of the spread in debit) and with UVXY and VXX, short call verticals with similar metrics.**
* -- Why the different expiries? I've been generally running broad market plays through a gauntlet of at-the-money delta neutral short straddle pricing prior to deciding which expiry begins to be "worthwhile," looking for the short straddle to pay at least 10% of the stock price. If the ATM short straddle isn't paying that, it isn't worth putting on a short strangle in shorter duration for me. The downside is that longer-dated setups are slower to come in and therefore tie up buying power for longer. The upside: they're wider setups relative to current price, so less subject to shorter term whipsaw.
** -- As previously pointed out, there is assignment risk with UVXY and VXX, and I'd rather be short shares via assignment on a short call than long shares via assignment on a short put. VIX is cash settled with no assignment risk, so whether there is a short put aspect or short call aspect is of little import for a VIX play.
OPENING: XOP NOV 15TH 16/SEPT 20TH 22 LONG CALL DIAGONAL... for a 4.89 debit.
Metrics:
Max Profit: $111/contract
Max Loss: $489/contract
Break Even: 20.89
Delta/Theta: 38.75/.98
Debit Paid to Spread With Ratio: 81.5%
Notes: Going long XOP at long-term lows with a 90/50 long call diagonal (i.e., 90 delta for the long call/50 for the short). Going a little more aggressive with the short call than I usually would to get a little more room to the downside. Shooting for 50% max.
THE WEEK AHEAD: M EARNINGS; GDXJ, XOP, QQQ, IWM, VIXEARNINGS:
M (87/58) announces earnings this week and has the most appropriate rank/implied volatility metrics for a contraction play.
Pictured here is a narrow short strangle in the September monthly that is almost a short straddle, set up this way primarily because M is trading at 19.43, which Is smack dab in the middle of the short strikes. It's paying 2.25 at the mid-price with delta/theta metrics of -4.39/3.11. For those looking for more room to be wrong, the 17/22 short strangle is paying .89 which is a somewhat marginal play at 50 max (.45).
Given the fact that it has been somewhat hammered, I could also see taking a bullish assumption short put shot with the 22 delta 17 strike paying .52, the 31 delta 18 paying .83, and the 42 delta 19 strike paying 1.25. For those looking to potentially acquire, it pays an annualized dividend of 1.51 with a yield of 7.39% at current share price.
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS:
SLV (98/26)
GDX (97/34)
GDXJ (94/40)
TLT (88/14)
GLD (87/16)
XOP (46/39)
Having worked through setups on all of these, only GDXJ and XOP appear to present worthwhile nondirectional premium selling opportunities in the September monthly with their respective at-the-money short straddles paying in excess of 10% of the value of the stock.
The GDXJ September 20th 42 short straddle is paying 4.68 versus 41.84 spot (11.2%) with the 37/49 short strangle camped out around the 16 delta paying 1.09.
Similarly, the XOP September 20th 22 short straddle is paying 2.29 versus 22.29 spot (10.3%) with the 22/23 short strangle straddling current price paying 1.81 should you want a more delta neutral setup with a smidge of room for intratrade adjustment without going inverted.
BROAD MARKET:
EEM (37/20)
IWM (33/22)
SPY (31/18)
QQQ (31/21)
EFA (17/15)
As with the exchange-traded funds, I'm looking for setups whose at-the-money short straddles pay more than 10% of the value of where the stock is currently trading.* Because background volatility in broad market is lower than in the exchange-traded funds which are, in turn, lower than that in single name as a general rule, you'll have to go farther out in time to get paid more than 10%.
Only QQQ and IWM meet the 10% test without going crazy far out in time (although I recognize that some might consider going out to February for a play is "crazy far out").
The QQQ January 17th 186 short straddle is paying 19.23 versus 186.49 spot (10.3%) with the January 17th short strangle set up around the 16 delta strikes -- the 160/207, paying 4.40.
Similarly, the IWM February 21st 151 short straddle is paying 16.02 versus 150.62 spot (10.6%) with the 16 delta February 21st 130/168 paying 3.86.
VIX/VIX DERIVATIVES:
For you "Vol Heads" ... .
VIX closed at 17.97 on Friday with the August /VX contract trading at 18.48, so the term structure is in contango from the front month to spot. M1-M2 is also in a smidge of contango, but M2-M5 are in backwardation, presenting a wonky S-shaped term structure. Look to potentially add VXX/UVXY bearish assumption setups on VIX pops back to >20 ... .
* -- Although you're certainly free to sell at-the-money straddles in these instruments, I'm using the short straddle value as more of a test to see whether the premium is sufficient to be "worth it." If it isn't worth It at-the-money, then out-of-the-money short strangles are probably aren't worth it, either.
Trumps Tweets? NAH! Charts. Volatility in the works!Here you can see how the seesaw may unfold. Geometry! Cheers
-Coach Reeves
THE WEEK AHEAD: CRM EARNINGS; QQQ, IWM, XOP, TBT, AAPL, TSLAEARNINGS
CRM (57/42) releases earnings on Tuesday after market close, so look to put on a play in the waning hours of Tuesday's New York session.
Pictured here is an iron condor in the July monthly with the short options nearest the 20 delta strikes. Preliminarily, it's paying 1.61 at the mid price with break evens wide of the expected move at 133.40/171.60 with delta/theta metrics of -.89/2.27.
As of Friday close, the June 7th weekly to July 19th monthly volatility contraction is from 61.8% to 39.0% or about 41.5%.
Look to manage intratrade by rolling the untested side toward current price on approaching worthless with a 50% max take profit target.
BROAD MARKET
EEM (38/21)
QQQ (36/23)
IWM (36/22)
SPY (37/19)
EFA (29/17)
The EEM July 19th 37/41/41/45 iron fly is paying just shy of 25% of the width of the longs (8-wide) at 1.99 and break evens of 39.01/42.99. Look to take profit at 25% max, as you would with a short straddle.
QQQ is paying slightly more than one-third the width of the wings for the short option strikes nearest the 20's -- the 158/161/185/188: 1.01 credit, break evens at 159.99/186.01, delta/theta metrics of -2.66/1.49. Manage intratrade by rolling in untested on approaching worthless toward current price; 50% max take profit.
The IWM iron condor nearest the 20 delta is the July 19th 133/136/154/157, with break evens of 135.01/164.99, delta/theta metrics of -3.27/1.43. 50% max take profit. Manage intratrade by rolling in untested on approaching worthless toward current price; 50% max take profit.
SECTOR EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
Top 5 By Rank: TLT (65/13); USO (58/48); TBT (58/27); OIH (54/42); GDXJ (51/29).
The volatility in oil isn't a particular surprise. /CL (21/46) has been crushed from a late April high of 66.44 to a Friday session low of 53.05, leading to an OVX pop from the mid-20's to a Friday session high of 47.49, so it's an opportunity to sell premium in /CL, USO, or one of the closely correlated proxies like XOP (43/39).
TBT is at a 52-week low; TLT, a similar high with the yield on the 10-year T note yield cratering to finish last week at 2.142, so I could envision putting on a bullish assumption play in TBT either on the notion that we get some risk on post-May sell-off or that yield has bottomed in this vicinity (between 2.00-2.25).
A bullish assumption TBT short put in the July cycle at the 28 strike isn't paying a ton -- .43 at the mid, with a 27.57 break even and delta/theta metrics of 25.35/.85, but the more aggressive 29 pays .73 with a 28.27 break even and delta/theta metrics of 38.97/.96.
SINGLE NAME WITH EARNINGS IN THE REAR VIEW
X (66/61): The July 19th 12 straddle is paying 2.00, 10.00/14.00 break evens, and a delta/theta metric of -2.66/1.99.
AAPL (51/33): The July 19th nearest the 20 delta iron condor, the 155/160/190/195 is paying 1.67 with 158.33/191.67 break evens, and a delta/theta metric of -1.88/2.05.
TSLA (51/73): Some of the volatility leaked out last week, but the nearest the 20 -- the 140/145/215/220 appears to be paying 1.92 at the mid, assuming you can get filled there, with markets showing wide ... .
THE WEEK AHEAD: COST EARNINGS; EEM, OIH, XOP, TSLAEARNINGS
COST (46/25) announces earnings on Thursday after market close, so look to put on a play in the waning hours of the regular New York session.
Pictured here is an iron condor in the July (53 days) expiry with the short options at their respective 20 delta strikes. Preliminarily, it's paying 1.55 at the mid price, a smidge shy of one-third the width of the wings, with break evens wide of the expected move at 228.45/266.55 and delta/theta metrics of -1.41/1.93, and a buying power effect of 3.45.
For those who don't like waiting as long for their candy, the June monthly (28 days) iron condor with the shorties set up nearest the 20 delta -- the 230/235/260/265 is paying spot on one-third the width of 1.68 with break evens at 233.32/261.68, delta/theta metrics of -1.65/3.80, and a buying power effect of 3.32.
As of Friday close, the May 31st (4 days) to June volatility contraction is from 34.7% to 24.7% or about 28.8%.
Look to manage intratrade by rolling the untested side toward current price on approaching worthless with a 50% max take profit target.
BROAD MARKET
Majors are at the lower end of their 52-week ranges with background implied in QQQ and IWM in the low 20's; SPY and EFA, in the teens:
EEM (32/21)
QQQ (27/21)
IWM (28/20)
SPY (27/16)
EFA (23/16)
The EEM July 19th 36/40/40/44 iron fly is paying 25% of the width of the longs (8-wide) at 2.05 and break evens right at the expected move of 37.95/42.05, delta/theta metrics of -9.01/1.09, with a buying power effect of 1.95. Look to take profit at 25% max, as you would with a short straddle. Generally, these can't be effectively managed intratrade to delta balance without adding setup, so any trade management has to occur toward the back end of the cycle (i.e., taking untested off at approaching worthless, rolling out tested, selling untested side against in new cycle, assuming that the roll out of the tested and the sell against can be done for a net credit).
QQQ is paying slightly more than one-third the width of the wings for the short option strikes nearest the 20's -- the 163/166/188/191: 1.16 credit, break evens at 164.84/189.16, delta/theta metrics of -3.55/1.55, and a buying power effect of 1.84. Manage intratrade by rolling in untested on approaching worthless toward current price; 50% max take profit.
A similarly delta'd IWM setup is paying 1.06: the July 19th 137/141/159/162, with break evens of 139.94/160.06, delta/theta metrics of -1.82/1.34, and a buying power effect of 1.94. 50% max take profit. Manage intratrade by rolling in untested on approaching worthless toward current price; 50% max take profit.
SECTOR EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS
Top 5 By Rank: GDXJ (45/28); ASHR (42/28); OIH (40/37); XLB (41/31); EEM (32/21).
The only short straddle paying in excess of 10% of the value of the stock is OIH with the July 19th 14 short straddle paying 1.51 versus 13.81 spot. The at-the-money short straddle in the closely correlated XOP (30/34), the July 19th 27, is also paying > 10%: 2.82 versus 27.12 spot. Manage intratrade by rolling in untested side on approaching worthless to cut net delta in half without inverting to a width greater than credits received; 25% max take profit.
SINGLE NAME WITH EARNINGS IN THE REAR VIEW
TSLA (62/83). The July cycle iron condor set up nearest the 20's -- the 150/155/235/240 is paying 1.78 at the mid, -31/1.65 delta/theta. Markets are wide, so look to do some price discovery if you want to get in on a play. Manage intratrade by rolling in untested on approaching worthless toward current price; 50% max take profit.
THE WEEK AHEAD: M EARNINGS; OIH, XOP, ASHR, FXI, IBB PREMIUMI'm personally not doing a ton here with May opex a mere week away and June at 40 days until expiry, which is a smidge short of that 45 day wheel house I like to use for putting on plays. However, there is "stuff" to do if you're so inclined ... .
M (71/54) announces earnings on Wednesday before market open, so you'll want to shoot for a fill on whatever you do on Tuesday before market close. Pictured here is a fairly Plain Jane June 21st 20/25 directionally neutral short strangle paying 1.08 at the mid price with break evens of 18.92/26.08 and delta/theta metrics of -2.51/2.84. With May opex options having an implied of 88.9% versus June's 49.6%, we're looking at a fairly big volatility crush post-earnings ... .
Macy's has been hammered (it's within 5% of its 52-week low of 22.11), so I could also see the attractiveness of just going purely directional here. The June 21st 22 short put is paying 1.34 with a cost basis of 20.66 in shares if assigned (an 8% discount over current price). It pays an annualized dividend of 1.51 -- a 6.65% yield -- with the last quarterly divvy of .37 being distributed on 4/1 with a record date of 3/15 (i.e., you want to get into shares before 6/15 or so if you want to grab the next dividend).
On the exchange-traded fund front, here are the top five ordered by rank -- ASHR (74/32), GDXJ (51/28), FXI (50/23), IBB (46/26), and EFA (44/14), and the top five ordered by 30-day: OIH (37/34), XOP (29/33), ASHR (74/32), EWZ (25/32), and XBI (39/32). If I was going to be picky here, I'd probably wait for more ideal rank/30-day metrics (>50/>35), but ASHR approaches those metrics, even though it falls short of the 30-day 35% mark by a touch.
Here are some ASHR setups that might be worth looking at:
The June 21st 23/26/28/31 Iron Condor: It's almost so narrow in the body as to approach an iron fly, but it's the only way you'll get one-third the width of the wings out of a defined risk setup without going full-on fly. Paying 1.09 at the mid price (.54 at 50 max), it's got expected move break evens and a delta/theta metric of -3.20/1.27.
The June 21st 27 Short Straddle: Paying 2.20 at the mid price (.55 at 25 max), break evens at 24.80/29.20, delta/theta of -5.22/2.70.
Alternatively, there is the more liquid FXI (50/23). Although you'll have to put up with a lower 30-day, you can be more surgical since market makers have been kind enough to provide half-dollar strikes even in the monthly 40 days out.
The June 21st 37.5/40.5/43.5/46.5 pays 1.01 with break evens wide of the expected move at 39.49/44.51 and delta/theta numbers of -2.69/1.36.
The June 21st even-striked 40/44 short strangle pays 1.02 with more forgiving break evens at 38.98/45.02 and delta/theta figures of 2.06/2.58.
OPENING: XOP JUNE 21ST 32 SHORT STRADDLEThis is a continuation of a directionally neutral premium selling play (See Post Below) which I've rolled out to June and transformed into a bullish assumption premium selling play.
Here, I'm looking to work it as a quasi-synthetic covered call, with the in the money short put standing in for my stock, and the short call acting as cover. Naturally, it isn't completely accurate to describe it as a "synthetic covered call" because covered calls have no upside risk, and this setup does. A more accurate description would probably be "bullish assumption short straddle."
A true synthetic covered call would be something like a 70 delta short put with no upside risk since many covered calls are in the area of 70-80 net delta long (100 long delta for the stock, 20-30 delta short for the call).
There are a couple of reasons for why I prefer bullish assumption short straddles to in-the-money short puts with covered call metrics: (a) the delta is a little flatter; and (b) you get a little extra sumthin' sumthin' in cost basis reduction by having the short call on. Here, the net delta of the position is around 50,* versus the 70 delta short put/synthetic covered call. As usual, the trade off is the upside risk aspect of the setup, which will have to be managed as any other oppositional setup would in the event that the underlying rips through the short call strike.
In any event, I've collected 2.86 in credits so far, which would mean my cost basis in any shares assigned via the 32 short put would have a cost basis of 29.14 versus 28.98 spot, so it's slightly underwater at the moment.
Like a covered call, I'll look to roll the setup out as a unit when the short call approaches 50% max.
* -- The net delta on the position can be made "shorter" by setting it up closer to at-the-money; "longer" by setting it up farther away. Generally speaking, I like to sell the 25 delta short call and sell the same strike short put, which generally yields delta metrics in the 40-50 net long area, depending on skew.
THE WEEK AHEAD: GDXJ, XOP, EWZ PREMIUM SELLINGAlthough there are quite a few earnings announcements up next week, none of them appear particularly attractive from both a volatility metric standpoint as well as a liquidity standpoint.
For instance, MYL (78/46), EA (73/50), and ROKU (65/82) all have the right volatility metrics, but when you go to work setups, you're confronted with non-$1 wide strikes, not something you want to see if you need to roll out in time for duration ... .
Consequently, you're left with looking at either single name with earnings in the rear view mirror or exchange-traded funds.
On the exchange-traded fund end of things, GDXJ (51/28), ASHR (41/26), IYR (38/13), OIH (35/33), and GDX (34/23) round out the top five by rank; OIH (35/33), XOP (30/31), EWZ (15/28), GDXJ (51/28), and ASHR (41/26) round out the top five when sorted by 30-day.
Pictured here is a GDXJ short strangle in the June cycle (47 days 'til expiry) that's paying 1.14 (.57 at 50% max) with break evens of 25.86/31.84 and delta/theta metrics of -3.21/2.12. Alternatively, the June 21st 29 short straddle is paying 2.36 (.59 at 25% max), break evens of 26.64/31.36 and delta/theta metrics of 11.96/2.35.
The XOP June 21st 28/32 short strangle camped out around the 30 delta pays 1.16 (.58 at 50% max) with break evens of 26.84/33.16 and delta/theta metrics of 2.87/2.30.
The EWZ June 21st 38/44 25 delta short strangle is paying 1.30 (.65 at 50% max) with break evens at 36.70/45.30 and delta/theta metrics of -1.42/2.84.
THE WEEK AHEAD: INDA, GDXJ, XBI, XOP; X, AMD EARNINGSPictured here is an INDA (66/29) short strangle in the June cycle set up around the 25 delta strikes. Paying 1.00 at the mid, it has break evens of 32.00/39.00, a buying power effect of 5.65, and delta/theta metrics of .68/1.98. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the tightest markets, so expect a little price discovery should you want to get a fill.
On the remainder of the exchange-traded fund front, GDXJ (54/30), XBI (25/28), and XOP (25/32) round out the top symbols ordered by rank; XOP (25/32), OIH (27/31), GDXJ (54/30), and EWZ (14/30) are the top symbols ranked by 30-day implied.
Because I don't have any gold on at the moment, I'm leaning toward putting something on in GDXJ: the June 21st 28/33 short strangle is paying .97 at the mid with 27.03/33.97 break evens, a 3.90 buying power effect, and delta/theta figures of .13/1.92.
And while we're well into earnings, nothing stunning pops to the forefront with ideal volatility contraction metrics, AMD and X appear to be the most amenable to that type of play with >50% 30-day. AMD (48/67) announces on Tuesday after market close, and the down-trodden X (54/56) announces on Thursday after market close. Both are also small enough to either short straddle or go 30 delta short strangle.
THE WEEK AHEAD: NFLX, IBM EARNINGS; ASHR, GDXJ, XOP, EWZEARNINGS:
NFLX and IBM both announce on Tuesday after market close, so look to put on something in the waning hours of Monday's session if you're going to do a volatility contraction play.
Pictured here is a NFLX (42/46) 25/10 iron condor,* with the short option strikes at the 25 delta; the longs at the 10 (as of Friday close). Metrics: $825 max profit; $1675 max loss; 24.6% return at 50% max; break evens wide of the expected move at 311.75/393.25, delta -.74, theta 16.21. Potential volatility contraction from the nearest weekly (April 18th: 78.6%) to the May expiry (44.2%) appears to be in the neighborhood of 40%. The wings can naturally be narrowed to generate a softer buying power effect (e.g., the 310/320/385/395 pays 4.18 ($418) with a max loss/buying power effect of 5.82 ($582), -.45 delta, 6.48 theta and with break evens still wide of the expected).
IBM (67/29): The May 17th 130/135/155/160 is paying 1.50 at the mid with fairly wide markets and pesky strike availability in the May cycle where you'd ordinarily want to pitch your tent. On check on a similarly delta'd setup in the New York session, I'd pass if you can't filled with a fairly delta neutral setup for at least one-third the width of the wings. Potential volatility contraction from the nearest weekly (April 18th: 53.9%) to the following monthly (May 17th: 28.4%) looks to be fairly decent at around 45%.
THE EXCHANGE-TRADED FUND FRONT
Top of the List: ASHR (53/29), GDXJ (33/28), OIH (27/31), XLV (24/14), GDX (21/22), XOP (20/30), and EWZ (18/32).
We're kind of mid-cycle here with May being a tad short (33 days) and June being a tad long (68 days), so would probably wait to put something on until June comes more into view.
Since I don't have anything on in EWZ currently, I might make an exception there. The May 17th 26 delta 38/43 short strangle is paying 1.19, with break evens wide of the expected move at 36.81/44.19, delta -.16, theta 3.6.
BROAD MARKET
With VIX finishing the week at a penny north of 12, we could be in for a long, dry summer of premium selling (who knows, really). A good time to dry powder out and keep it dry for the next uptick in volatility ... .
* -- There is some research in support of the notion that 25/10's more closely emulate short strangle performance over a large number of occurrences; this is naturally intuitive, since you're paying less for the longs, bringing in more credit, and therefore generating more favorable break evens over a tighter winged setup.
