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Options Alert: Has Nio Recharged its Batteries?
by David Russell | Sep 10, 2024
Nio has been sputtering for years, but some options traders seem to think the Chinese electric-car maker has recharged its batteries. TradeStation data shows call volume surging in the stock this month. Most of the increase came after the company reported record...
Greek of the Week: Gamma
by David Russell | Dec 31, 2022
Editor’s note: This post, part of a four-part series about options Greeks, was originally published on Monday, August 20, 2018. We previously looked at delta. Delta measures how much an option changes in price when the underlying stock or ETF fluctuates. Calls...
Greek of the Week: Theta
by David Russell | Dec 31, 2022
Editor’s note: This post, part of a four-part series about options Greeks, was originally published on Tuesday, August 28, 2018. So far, we’ve looked at delta and gamma. This week, we’ll turn to theta. Theta: T is for “time decay.” Theta measures how...
Greek of the Week: Vega
by David Russell | Dec 31, 2022
Editor’s note: This post, part of a four-part series about options Greeks, was originally published on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. So far we’ve reviewed three options “Greeks,” with memory tricks for keeping them straight: Delta: D is for direction.Gamma: G is for...
The Basics of Options
by David Russell | Dec 31, 2022
Options are an important tool for many retail investors. They can either replace trading shares, or make it easier to position oneself in stocks. Let's consider the first things options traders need to know. An Option's Price Is Usually Called 'Premium' There are some...
The Structure of Options Trades
by David Russell | Dec 31, 2022
While options can be traded by themselves, investors often use them in conjunction with other securities. So before going further, let's consider the four basic ways that options trades are structured. You Can Trade Options by Themselves As we learned in a previous...
Buying and Selling Options
by David Russell | Dec 31, 2022
Most clients understand buying and selling stocks. Options are similar, and can be traded in the same brokerage accounts. However, you should know some basic differences. Bid / Ask Spreads Matter A bid/ask spread is the difference between where you can sell a security...
Top Stocks for Options Trading
Technology & Communication
Tesla Is Headed for Its Worst Month Ever As Elon Musk Veers Into the Twitterverse
by David Russell | Nov 22, 2022
Tesla is headed for its worst month ever as Elon Musk focuses on Twitter and China continues pandemic lockdowns. The electric-vehicle giant is down 26 percent in November through Monday's close. The only other month with a similar decline, according to TradeStation...
Four Risks Face the Nasdaq After Technology Skidded Lower Last Week
by David Russell | Sep 8, 2020
Technology stocks just had their worst week since March as Apple and Tesla skidded lower. More risks could be on the horizon. The Nasdaq-100 fell 3.1 percent between Friday, August 28, and Friday, September 4. The SPDR Technology ETF (XLK) declined 4.1 percent. Both...
Tesla Denied! Meet the Companies That Beat Elon Musk to the S&P 500
by David Russell | Sep 7, 2020
One of the biggest events expected by investors didn't happen. Tesla wasn't added to the S&P 500. S&P Dow Jones Indices announced changes to the most important index on Friday afternoon. Three relatively small companies with a combined market capitalization of...
How Much Is Zoom Video Up Since its IPO?
by David Russell | Sep 1, 2020
Zoom Video Communications just rallied to new record highs after the coronavirus pandemic fueled one of the most dramatic growth stories ever. ZM closed at $457.67 today. That's 1,171 percent above the $36 price where it went public just 16 months ago on April 18,...
These Were the Top Stocks on TradeStation in August
by David Russell | Sep 1, 2020
Tesla dominated activity on TradeStation's platform last month, and no other stock even came close. The electric-car maker held the No. 1 spot on our monthly ranking, outpacing runner-up Apple (AAPL) by a huge margin. Other major technology stocks remained highly...