Options Trading

Earnings Play: Buy Puts on Yahoo

Bullish call activity in YHOO is hitting highs for the year ahead of earnings -- but when they announce it will be a wake, not a party.

Trading Option Straddles During Earnings Releases: Part 2

If an underlying stock does not move far enough to make your straddle profitable after an earnings announcement, you have two alternatives for exiting the position.

Technical Analysis 101: Triangles

Expert explains the four main categories of triangles used in technical analysis: ascending, descending, contracting and expanding.

Earnings Play: Buy MCD Calls Now

McDonald's reports before the bell on Wednesday, and options traders appear to be betting against a good earnings report. Find out why you'll be 'lovin' it' if you bet against them.

Earnings Play: Get Short Exxon-Mobil

XOM may hit earnings estimates, but a big, positive reaction is not likely to materialize, and the newbies will fall over themselves to dump the stock.

How to Profit From Deflation

Deflation can be extremely disruptive to an economy, but it also can be a source of opportunity. Here are the things savvy investors should consider if deflation starts to take a real hold on the economy.

Option Straddles – Trading Option Straddles During Earnings Season

You can profit this earnings season even if you have no idea which direction a stock is going to move after the company announces.

Place a Bullish Bet on Zimmer Holdings

Analysts and options traders are betting Zimmer Holdings will disappoint when it releases earnings next week. I think they've got another thing coming.

Commodity Futures 101

Learn the commodity futures basics to get started on your way to trading options on commodity futures, which is an excellent way to make big profits.

March Madness Winners! Plus 3 New Trades

The winner of our 1st Annual March Madness Trading Contest walked away with the victory earning a 200% return for the three weeks of the contest! But the battle for second and third place was much closer. Read on for details on all three winning trades and the Top 3's next trading ideas.

Iron Condors vs. Condor Spreads

Options expert explains the main differences between the iron condor and condor spreads.

Combining Covered Calls and Protective Puts

Looking for a way to bring in income while protecting yourself against a market downturn? Then here's the strategy for you.

What the Bleep is a Fibonacci?

Learn how you can apply Fibonacci numbers to your trading.

Earnings Trade – Short Abbott Labs-ABT

Abbott Labs (ABT) is one of those healthcare/biotech plays that was often considered a safe (or at least safer) play in a tumbling market. But ABT's chart says otherwise.

Is NetApp (NTAP) an Attractive Aquisition?

Now that the IBM/JAVA deal appears to be off, NTAP is snapping back.

Covered Calls the Easy Way

Covered calls typically require you to buy at least 100 shares of stock to sell a single call contract. Find out how to get the benefits of selling a covered call without a large capital investment.

12 Commodity Bargain Trades

Commodities are back in the market's spotlight, as demand for metals, crude oil and other materials are once again on the rise.

The Life Cycle of Trading Options

Don't let time decay rot potential profits. John Lansing has a game plan.

Brokerage Levels and Option Risk

Options expert looks at the risk associated with trading different option strategies -- covered calls, long calls/puts, spread trading and naked shorting -- against the four levels of brokers' approval.