Al_Dente wrote:cougar wrote:Here are the main 2 charts which were used for acquiring those time spread positions. These charts now cover the whole day, in retrospect, and contain some annotations. As you probably guessed, I used UPRO as a “proxy” for SPY because being an “ultra ETF” it amplifies the index moves, and also because I noticed that it has an excellent “bot-connectivity” to both futures and cash value. It also partially reflects the desirability of the moves and often precedes by 1-2 sec the moves of SPY…LOL! On the other hand, SPY Fast Renko keeps me aware of some essential levels which one should never forget.
One more thing: I preferred a put spread to a call spread because I have already a substantial up bias…On top of that I count on a small gambling time factor: playing on the dates Dec 8-9 (Merkozy) and Dec 13 (Fed). GL with your trades!
COUGAR………..i’m hooked..(it’s been a while) …but have 2 study yr charts later…
[last night’s random notes] So….…if u open both legs same day, the spread is considered covered (u could pay cash) with no margin interest, right?
If u sell-to-open the short leg first on one day (then long leg on a later date), it’s naked, and you can only accomplish that in a margin account approved for nakeds Level 3 (or whatever it’s called now), and they start charging u margin interest, no?
So, do you try to avoid naked by opening both legs same day, or if different days, open the long first?
Do u construct it so the short leg always/usually expires first, so never/rarely leaving u naked?
Or, are u perfectly comfortable naked in roller-coaster market (aka really big bowls)?
Finally, do you use the short leg ONLY to offset/reduce cost of long leg?
cougie: two stringer (parental advisory)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFRM8pQG ... re=related
No, I am not comfortable with naked selling…Nobody is...in particular in this market which can turn around to bite you! I might have sometime a bias of short options as part of a “synthetic position” but then I have to watch it like a hawk!
Moreover, most accounts are not qualified for naked options selling…
If you want to initiate your strategy, do it first as a “paper trade” ..and after you acquire the positions consider to manage them actively...but not too much!
Here is the art : you have to keep what frogs call “le juste milieu“…
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Thanx for the "tube"...Nice!