Monday, August 1, 2011

OWSOSB straddle: + 29% 13 days

Credit: Option Wizard® Simplified Options Strategy (SOS) Backtester.

7/19/2011 11:06:54 BOT SPY 100 AUG 11 133 PUT @3.25 NASDAQ
7/19/2011 11:17:19 BOT SPY 100 AUG 11 133 CALL @1.96 CBOE
8/1/2011 13:00:23 SOLD STRADDLE SPY 100 AUG 11 133 CALL/PUT @6.20

Potential for snapback rally if D.C. avoids ritual suicide....I'm thinking they will....we'll see, in any case, it is the right thing to do and the right time to exit....

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

SPY from 135 handle to 131 in a heartbeat

Starting from June 28, overbought situation in SPY as "described" by new Option Wizard® Simplified Options Strategy (SOS) Backtester.

The "red lights" were "on":

94 22 286 Tue-28-Jun-11 129.61
96 41 314 Wed-29-Jun-11 130.72
96 66 352 Thu-30-Jun-11 131.97
98 90 432 Fri-1-Jul-11 133.92
95 97 479 Tue-5-Jul-11 133.81
96 97 481 Wed-6-Jul-11 133.97
93 97 478 Thu-7-Jul-11 135.36
67 93 449 Fri-8-Jul-11 134.4
8 81 359 Mon-11-Jul-11 131.97

Friday, July 1, 2011

Backtesting Options Strategies

Our feature appears in July issue, TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF STOCKS AND COMMODITIES. Page 38-41. Available at newsstands or traders.com.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

When men weep and gnash their teeth: The Next Financial Crisis Will Be Hellish And It’s On Its Way

According to author Addison Wiggin, we haven't solved a thing (or learned a thing).

e.g. 51:1 leverage at the Fed. A 2% move wipes out our Central Bank.

Forbes via 321gold.com. Invite you to read and ponder......

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Feature slated: "Sample Variance" for options backtesting

Our feature "Sample Variance" will appear in the July 2011 issue of Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities. It covers how to use this approach to quickly and easily backtest options strategies, as does our newest product, Option Wizard® Simplified Options Strategy (SOS) Backtester.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Option Wizard® Simplified Options Strategy (SOS) Backtester shows that despite earthquakes, tsunami's and nuclear catastrophes, probabilities prevail

On Wed. March 16, 2011, we used the new Option Wizard® Simplified Options Strategy (SOS) Backtester to determine some expiration probabilities for SPY.

Previous close: SPY 128.56 Tues Mar 15, 2011

THE PROBABILITIES FOR SPY CLOSE 2 DAYS LATER:


136 0.79%
134 1.97%
132 6.71%
130 22.11%
128 54.64%
126 11.69%
124 4.11%
122 1.66%
120 0.95%
118 0.63%


So where did it close, Friday, March 18, 2011 -- options expiration?

127.76



Very near our highest probability 128, which Option Wizard® put at 54% probability. Doesn't mean SPY couldn't have closed at 136 or 118, it could have. Theoretically. But where should we put our confidence? Where should we place our positions.

Btw, I mentioned this exercise to a colleague as I was doing it. He is a financial engineer, Chicago firm, fan of fat tails, black swans, and N. Taleb. He scoffed. I understood, he had/has a point.

Still, even in a week (a prior month) of
  • Big moves, bull & bear
  • Aftermath: Earthquake, 5th worst
  • Aftermath: Tsunami
  • Ongoing and raging and worsening nuclear catastrophe
It is perhaps nothing short of amazing that plain, vanilla probabilities --prevailed.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

OWTM Gold signal update -- still climbing....

1429.50 3/4/11
1408.60 2/25/11
1389.10 2/18/11
1355.90 2/11/11
1348.90 2/4/11
1337.90 1/28/11
1341.90 1/21/11