Cabot Options Institute Quant Trader – Alert (QQQ)
Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQ)
I want to add some additional downside exposure; so, with QQQ trading for 347.13, I want to place a short-term bear call spread going out 51 days and outside of the expected range to the upside, or 368. My intent is to take off the trade well before the July 21, 2023, expiration date.
IV: 23.14%
IV Rank: 12.0
Expected Move (Range): The expected move (range) for the July 21, 2023, expiration cycle is from 326 to 368.
Call Side:
The Trade
Simultaneously:
Sell to Open QQQ July 21, 2023, 375 call strike
Buy to Open QQQ July 21, 2023, 380 call strike for a total of $0.60 (As always, the price of the spread will vary, so please adjust accordingly.)
Delta of spread: -0.04
Probability of Profit: 86.57%
Probability of Touch: 26.08%
Total net credit: $0.60
Total risk per spread: $4.40
Max return: 13.6%
Risk Management
Since we know how much we stand to make and lose prior to order entry, we can precisely define our position size on every trade we place. Position size is the most important factor when managing risk, so keeping each trade at a reasonable level allows not only the Law of Large Numbers to work in your favor … it also allows you to sleep well at night.
I tend to set a stop-loss that sits 1 to 2 times my original credit. Since I’m selling the 375/380 bear call for roughly $0.60, if my bear call reaches approximately $1.20 to $1.80, I will exit the trade. As always, I will keep you updated on the status of the position as it progresses and send any necessary updates.