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MARKETS

VIX 17.75 -0.17 (-0.96%)
VIX 17.75 -0.17 -0.96%
Dow (DJX) 105.76 +0.12 +0.11%
Nasdaq (NDX) 1914.11 +12.73 +0.67%
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Latest ONN Columns

Volatility Overlays by Jud Pyle

Bullishness in OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI)
Without any news from the semiconductor name, investor buys near-term calls
Banking on GameStop (NYSE: GME) moves after earnings
Investor trades near-term strangle, later-term calls betting that volatility could contract
Calling for a 19% rally in AES (NYSE: AES)
Option investor buys longer-dated calls betting on further upside
A case for limited upside in EMC (NYSE: EMC) stock
A short call play suggests one investor expects the rally in EMC shares to level off in the long-term
Calling for upside in Pride International (NYSE: PDE)
Shares of this oil and gas drilling name rallied today, and one investor is betting on further upside
Odds for stagnant VeriSign (NASDAQ: VRSN) shares
Are shares of this application software name range-bound? One investor thinks so.
Upside in store for Virgin Media (NASDAQ: VMED)?
Option investor bets Virgin Media stock could rally higher than $20 by January 2011
Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) strangle seller bets on a long-term range
The semiconductor name receives a significant options boost from a neutral investor
Options action betting in Cemex shares to stay in mold
Investor sells straddle betting that the cement producer could hold its current level
Moderate bullishness in Halliburton (NYSE: HAL)
An investor buys a call ratio spread in the oil and gas equipment name
Call buying in UAL Corp. (NASDAQ: UAUA)
A longer-dated bet on UAL suggests at least one investor is bullish
Bullish bet on Intrepid Potash (NYSE: IPI)
A large block of way-out-of-the-money calls crosses the tape in the potash producer

The Practical Options Trader by Jared Levy

Is the VIX Too Low or the SPX Too High?
The VIX is dropping and the S&P is rallying - sound familiar?
Is the S&P 500 Still Cheap?
The SPX has gained over the last six days after a strong February. Is it still a buy?
Trading Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) ahead of earnings
Winter weather, consumer spending, and other factors that may impact Staples earnings.
Selling Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) after earnings jump
Finding the best medicine for a bullish trade in Autodesk
Lowe’s Companies (NYSE: LOW) reports strong earnings
Lowe's reports fiscal year loss but bounds higher out of the gate - why?
Expiration actually means added liquidity
Gaining perspective on options expiration and volatility
Buy Las Vegas Sands into earnings?
Potential bull put spread strategy for Las Vegas Sands
Trading out of a Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) bull put spread
Looking at Google's price action and options ahead of expiration Friday
Market thoughts: The Fed, natural gas, and Marriott (MAR) earnings
Jared Levy looks at some of the pressing topics in today's market.
Take your position in Disney (NYSE: DIS)
Analyzing Disney technicals and fundamentals ahead of tomorrow's earnings release
Unemployment rate drops ... really?
Something about today's jobs numbers just doesn't add up.
The Volcker Rule and Margin Requirements for the Layman
Jared looks at the Volcker rule and other ways to reduce risk

Buy and Trade by Kevin Cook

Solar Stocks Burned by J.P. Morgan: FSLR, ENER, ESLR
Second decade of 21st century not shining yet for alternative energy
InterMune (ITMN) Bulls Waiting on FDA
Trading halted ahead of review, what are investors thinking?
InterMune (ITMN) Shares Hang on FDA
Playing the “make or break” event with options
Emerging Markets Drive Global Recovery: CAT & ETN
Industrial manufacturers thrive on EM growth revolutions
Science, Emotion, Costs of Healthcare Debate
One family’s story of putting a price on life
Kill Speculation, Kill Risk Management
US regulators may jeopardize the biggest free market
GLD Update: Have we seen the lows for 2010?
Gold breakout comes sooner than expected
Biotech Singles and Homeruns: The FBT vs. OSI Pharmaceuticals (OSIP)
Finding the big winners is hard, having exposure is easy
Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) Straddle Seller Bets on Decline
Breakout from consolidation at $19 leans lower
Gold (NYSE: GLD) Buying Opportunity Around the Corner
Ready, aim, fire when $1,050 comes again
IBM vs. S&P 500: Seeking Quality Outperformance
Blue chip bellwether stalls at 50-day average
First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) a Buy Here?
Top sun stock finds it hard to shine

Need-to-Know Basis by Beth Gaston Moon

Are AIG and Citigroup on the mend?
News suggests AIG, Citigroup, ready for a rebound, prompting heavy options volume
Traders prepare for a drop in Goldman Sachs (GS)
Goldman shares have been in rally mode for months, but is the party over?
Alcoa (AA) faces resistance at the 14 level
Call buyers and sellers face off on Alcoa
Diverging long-term expectations for Ford Motor (F)
Put buying in Ford (F) bets on downside, decreasing volatility
Apple (AAPL) spikes on iPad announcement
Stock and options buyers flood the AAPL trading pits
Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) looking moderately bearish
A ratio put spread trades in the October series, points to moderate downside
Merck (NYSE: MRK) traders prepare for a breakout (or a breakdown)
A long strangle trade points to volatility in the pharmaceutical giant
Long-term call buying in Alcoa (NYSE: AA)
Investors expect considerable upside in the metals name
Betting on a breakout in JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM)
Option traders buy bull call spreads, expecting upside in the investment banking giant
Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) warrants auctioned today
Two series of Bank of America warrants go up for auction today, but options players have been preparing for weeks
A ratio put spread trades on General Electric (NYSE: GE)
Options players expect long-term downside in GE, but see a floor at the 10 mark
Buying puts in Zions (NASDAQ: ZION)
Afternoon option trade alert: ZION put buying

Sidewinder by Karla Yeh

Takeover chatter spurs Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL) call action
Morning option trade alert: Newell Rubbermaid call action on take-over chatter
Bullishness in Monstanto (NYSE: MON), Regal Entertainment (NYSE: RGC)
Morning option trade alert: Monsanto, Regal Entertainment call volume boosts out of the gate
Heavy call volume in AMR (NYSE: AMR)
Afternoon option trading alert: AMR call buying
Bearishness in Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL)
Afternoon option trade alert: Royal Caribbean protection play
Sellers boost Force Protection (NASDAQ: FRPT) options volume
Morning option trade alert: Force Protection selling action
Upside call action in OSI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSIP)
Morning option trade alert: OSI Pharmaceuticals call buyers
Bearishness in Lennar (NYSE: LEN)
Morning option trade alert: Lennar risk reversal
Call action in United States Natural Gas (NYSE: UNG)
Morning option trade alert: United States Natural Gas call action
Home Depot (NYSE:HD) front-month call volume spikes
Afternoon options trade alert: Home Depot call action
Later-term bearishness in Sony (NYSE: SNE)
Morning option trade alert: Sony put buyers
Moderate bullishness in Vale S.A. (NASDAQ: VALE)
Morning option trade alert: Front-month put selling in VALE
Selling AnnTaylor (NYSE: ANN)
Morning option trade alert: AnnTaylor call spread seller

The OptionsHouse Angle by Steve Claussen and George Ruhana

A change for option market makers?
How removing the "60/40" rule might impact the options-trading community.
Options activity spikes on InterMune (ITMN)
A look at heavy call volume in InterMune (ITMN) ahead of FDA meeting.
Ford Motor (F) passes Toyota (TM)
The tables turn in the auto industry.
Trading Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) Options Post Earnings
Netflix spikes on earnings results, spurring call traders into action.
What Should Hank Greenberg Do with AIG options?
Ways option traders can play the latest developments in AIG and Goldman Sachs (GS)
What to do with the collapse of implied volatility in stocks like AIG
Citigroup is Repaying TARP – So Why the 5% Drop?
Steve Claussen does the math of Citigroup’s TARP-repayment plan
Thoughts on the Transactions Tax Bill
Is Nancy Pelosi's take on the transaction tax bill fair?
A-Power (APWR) Seeing Heavy Call Trading
Investors may be rolling out call positions to a later series
Volatility Update
The VIX moves lower despite some broad-market weakness
VIX of the VIX
An in-depth look at the VIX, and the corresponding complex trades.
Option Plays in Amazon (AMZN)
Kindle maker Amazon poised to be a hit, but don't forget about Apple's tablet computer.

ONN Updates

ONN Experts In the News guest appearances by our team

Jud Pyle- Fox Business, Toyota Chief: Electronics Not to Blame
Jud Pyle of Peak6 Investments and Matt McCormick of Bahl & Gaynor on Toyota's hearings. Continue reading » - February 26, 2010
Jared Levy- Fast Money Final Call
Navigating market volatility, with Jared Levy, Peak6 Investments senior derivatives specialist. Continue reading »
Jared Levy- Fast Money Sector Trade: Wireless Wars
Insight on RIMM and Apple on the foreign stage, with Jared Levy, PEAK6 Investments. Continue reading »
Jared Levy- CNBC After Hours Action
A check on the afterhours action, with Jared Levy, Peak6 Investments. Continue reading »
Kevin Cook On Rate Hikes, IBM (IBM), and Potash (POT)
Kevin discusses the Fed rate hikes, IBM, and Potash on Fox Business. Continue reading » - February 19, 2010
Jud Pyle quoted in The WSJ- "it still has bullish underpinnings"
Continue reading » - February 17, 2010

Options Physics

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Options Physics Basic

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Options Physics Advanced

Have the basics nailed? These videos are educational programming for the advanced.

Options Physics Pro

No strategies barred, these videos are for the professional options trader.

Market Summary

VIX 17.75 -0.17 -0.96%
Dow (DJX) 105.76 +0.12 +0.11%
Nasdaq (NDX) 1914.14 +12.76 +0.67%
S&P 500 (SPX) 1145.99 +5.54 +0.49%

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GGP 5,039 14.71 0.16
SY 14,203 46.04 -0.14
HRBN 3,084 25.32 3.31
KSU 3,815 36.25 0.36

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OptionFinder

Stocks vs. Options: Which generates better returns?

Plug in your stock idea to find options trades offering a potentially better ROI.

Learn more about the OptionFinder