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…

Stock Option Investment Advice

Part 2: Stock, or Portfolio Insurance?

Here is Part 2 of our Stock, or Portfolio Insurance? Series:  Selecting the Right Put In this video we discuss which broad based ETF or Index Put to Select to Insure an overall portfolio. In Part 1 you saw that using an SPY Put option (the 250, ATM strike) was better insurance on a portfolio over buying shares of an Inverse or Leveraged ETF. However, was this the best strike selection? What about lower strike, lower cost, Out of the Money Puts? Wouldn’t puts with a higher delta, deeper In the Money perform better? This video breaks down the costs, outcomes, pros and cons of the different strikes you can use to insure a portfolio.  We also give you an outline of how to analyze which put might be best to insure your portfolio. I hope you enjoy Part 2, and I look forward to your thoughts and comments!