Online Stock Trading Software

PowerOptions SwiftSkills: The Historical Tools on PowerOptions

Click HERE to watch a 15-minute video on how the Historical Tools on PowerOptions can solve your back-testing needs! This discussion came from a Coaching Session with Bob, a PowerOptions Customer. Bob wanted to see how he could ‘…determine the best historical Delta selection for calls when buying SPY LEAPS.’ Well, the Historical Tools will help us with that. What Are The Historical Tools?: There are 3 main Historical Tools on PowerOptions: Historical Chain. Look up the Option Chain on any stock, on any date back to April 2006. You can then move forward or backwards, to see the price and criteria change day by day. Or, move from one month to the next and beyond to see the change in price. Historical Search By Symbol: Select a Strategy (in this case, Long Calls). Select a Screen date back in time and then select the Expiration Time Frame. The Historical…

Stock Option Investment Advice

VXX – Thanks for the Hedgeories

Oh, those pesky Volatility Indexes, ETFs, ETNs, 2X and 3X and inverses…maybe there are too many now. But, unfortunately, it is time to say ‘VXX – Thanks for the Hedgeories’ It appears Barclay’s is shutting down VXX – iPath S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN – on January 29th, 2019. VXZ – iPath S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN will also terminate. What is an ETN? An ETN is an Exchange Traded Note.  Unlike an ETF, if you hold shares in an ETN it is more like holding a bond.  An ETN is an unsecured debt note underwritten by an institution – in this case Barclay’s. You can buy shares of an ETN, just like you can with an ETF.  But, the ETN is not invested into the asset it tracks. There are pros and cons to each, but we will save that discussion for another blog. Why Does the…