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Options Trader Pro
Advanced Trading Strategies for Big Profits in Any Market
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Despite ongoing banking fears, impressively the S&P 500 gained 1.26% last week, while the Dow rose by 1.48% and the Nasdaq added 1.14%. How this situation will play out this week is a complete toss-up, though I have to say I’ve been impressed by the resiliency of the bulls in the face of bad news … for now!
Now that was an interesting week, as countless sectors imploded (banks/REITs/airlines/energy) while at the same time money rushed into mega-cap technology. By week’s end the S&P 500 had risen 1.43%, the Dow had fallen 0.15%, and the Nasdaq way outperformed, having gained 4.41%.

Led by the meltdown in the financial sector, the market had an awful week. The numbers weren’t pretty as the S&P 500 fell 4.76%, the Dow lost 4.45%, and the Nasdaq declined 4.16%.
What started out as another troubling week for the bulls turned encouraging as the indexes rebound nicely on Thursday and Friday. By week’s end the S&P 500 gained 1%, the Dow rose 1.1%, and the Nasdaq rebounded 2%.
Following another week of hotter-than-expected inflation data and hawkish Fed speak, the leading indexes had their worst week of 2023. The S&P 500 fell 2.75%, the Dow lost 3%, and the Nasdaq declined by another 3.3%.
What started out looking like another positive week for the market later turned into a week of little gains or losses, as economic data and Fed speak weighed on stocks on Thursday and Friday. For the week the S&P 500 and Dow fell marginally, while the Nasdaq rose just over 0.5%.
Following a monster week of earnings, a Federal Reserve interest rate hike, and the January Jobs report, “risk on” continues to be the theme in early 2023 as the Nasdaq once again led the indexes higher.
Following a monster week of earnings, a Federal Reserve interest rate hike, and the January Jobs report, “risk on” continues to be the theme in early 2023 as the Nasdaq once again led the indexes higher.
Ahead of the “big” Federal Reserve announcement on Wednesday, the market surged higher last week.
It was hardly smooth sailing for traders last week, as the indexes got hit hard on Wednesday and Thursday, and then roared back to life on Friday.
Very impressively, the rally that started late in 2022 continued last week, as the S&P 500 gained 2.7%, the Dow rose 1.8%, and the Nasdaq tacked on another 4.5% of gains.
Having just returned from vacation, in this morning’s Weekly Update I am going to focus my attention on where we stand with our positions. However, going forward, I/we are fully back to the normal schedule.
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Options Strategy
Options trading has its own vernacular. To know how to do it, you need to know what every options term means. Here are some of the basics.
Want to know how the big institutional investors use options? Here is an example of how one trader spent $132 million on three technology stocks.
This guide will help you execute the three types of options strategies recommended in Cabot Options Trader: Buying puts and calls, covered call writing and spreads.
Guide to Options Trading — Pro Version
Using Options to Hedge a Portfolio


A few Cabot Options Trader subscribers have asked me about ways to protect gains in their portfolios, so I thought I would write to everyone with a couple of strategies using options to hedge your portfolio.

Options Education
From the questions I receive, I’m aware that a decent percentage of my subscribers have stock and/or options positions in a handful of stocks, including Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB) and Alibaba (BABA).
Worried about another market correction? This bit of options education should help you learn how to hedge your portfolio using puts.
Options education is one of my main goals for Cabot Options Trader subscribers. And here are three important lessons I’ve been telling people lately.
Options education is one of my main goals for Cabot Options Trader subscribers. And here are three important lessons I’ve been telling people lately.
All options are a wasting asset whose time value erodes to zero by expiration. This erosion is known as time decay.
A protective put is used when a trader is bullish on a stock he is buying or already owns, but is wary of the stock’s short-term future. It is used as a means to protect unrealized gains, while giving the trader continued upside potential.
Combining Cabot Options Trader and Cabot Growth Investor
Below is an article I wrote a couple years ago in response to a subscribers’ question regarding options and option volatility around earnings.
I’ve received a ton of great emails from subscribers over the last couple of days about huge profits this year. I’m thrilled that you are making lots of money. That said, while it’s great that we are making good money, we must remember the risks as well.
The S&P 500 is down 0.5% this morning, though well off the overnight lows (lower by 1.25%) following news that Gary Cohn, President Trump’s top economic advisor, is leaving his position. As the market has heated up, I’ve received many great questions from subscribers.
As the market has rebounded just short of 2018 highs, an interesting and somewhat complex trade structure has become popular: 1x2 Bull Call Spreads.
As the market was falling apart and the VIX was exploding to multi-year highs, Cabot Options Trader Pro subscribers executed a short volatility trade, selling an Iron Condor. Here are the details of the trade and some of my commentary.