The Option Block

5.0 (1)
INVESTING
UPDATED WEEKLY

The Option Block All-Star Panel breaks down the latest developments in the options market, analyzes unusual options activity, explains cutting-edge options strategies, answers listener questions and much more. Whether you're an active options trader or just getting started in the options market, The Option Block will keep you informed and entertained.

1D AGO

The Option Block 1442: Blood-Red Markets and the Death of DUOL

Blood-Red Markets and the Death of DUOL The markets are bleeding red, and volatility is finally taking center stage. In this episode of The Option Block, the panel breaks down a brutal session for the indices and the absolute carnage following Duolingo's (DUOL) latest move. From VIX spikes to institutional "Odd Block" flows, we're dissecting the anatomy of a sell-off. On This Episode, Join: Mark Longo: Founder & CEO, The Options Insider Media Group Henry Schwartz: Vice President, Institutional Derivatives, Cboe Global Markets Mike Tosaw: Wealth Manager, St. Charles Wealth Management The Docket: The Trading Block: A post-mortem on today's blood-red market. Henry provides the Cboe perspective on the VIX spike, while the team analyzes the breakdown in tech and why the "buy the dip" mentality is being tested. The Odd Block: Examining the "Death of DUOL." We break down the massive institutional put buying in Duolingo and the unusual activity that signaled this collapse before the floor fell out. Strategy Session: Defensive positioning 101. How to manage your long delta when the market turns, and the most cost-effective ways to price tail-risk hedges in the current environment. Mail Call: Listeners ask about the impact of high-volume sell-offs on spread pricing and how to handle challenged positions in a falling market.

58 min
4D AGO

The Option Block 1441: The Super Sexy Worlds of Silver and Substrates

The silver market just faced a massive "annihilation," and the Option Block panel is here to pick up the pieces. Join Mark Longo, Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi (Option Pit), and "Uncle" Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management) as they break down a wild start to February. From a 30% single-day drop in Silver (SLV) to unusual activity in "non-woven substrates," this episode covers the high-stakes world of volatility and metal meltdowns. In this episode, the panel dives into: The Trading Block: A look at the market rally toward all-time highs despite the "metals apocalypse." The team discusses whether the silver squeeze is finally unwinding and what the new Fed Chair means for interest rate stabilization. The Odd Block: Unusual activity in some truly unique names, including Magna Corp (MAGN)—a leader in the "sexy" world of substrates—and defensive put buying in Hercules Capital (HTGC). Strategy Block: Uncle Mike breaks down the power of diversification in covered call strategies. Learn why individual stock selection often yields better premiums than broad index ETFs like SPY. Around the Block: Predictions for the upcoming earnings gauntlet, featuring Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Disney, and the "AI bellwether" movement.

59 min
JAN 29

The Option Block 1440: MSFT vs META vs TSLA vs The WULF!!!!

The markets are seeing red as a wild earnings week takes center stage. From the "Tale of Two Techs" (Microsoft vs. Meta) to a massive volatility spike, the All-Star Panel breaks down the trades, the trends, and the unusual activity lighting up the tape. Plus, we dive into the "other" Wolf and an Argentinian oil play. The All-Star Panel Mark Longo: CEO and Founder of the Options Insider Media Group. Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz: Vice President of Institutional Derivatives at Cboe Global Markets. "Uncle" Mike Tosaw: Wealth Manager at St. Charles Wealth Management. Trading Block: A Sea of Red and Earnings Chaos The panel discusses a volatile Thursday session with the S&P 500 seeing a 100-handle range. While tech takes a hit, other sectors like energy and financials are showing resilience. The Tale of Two Ms: Comparing the diametrically opposite reactions to Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) earnings. META: Stock up ~10%; those who bought the 700-strike calls for $11 are seeing massive wins. MSFT: Stock down ~12% (a $58 drop); the same call-buying strategy was a total wipeout. Tesla (TSLA) Tumbles: Down over 2% as the market reacts to a shift in focus toward robotics and AI over traditional EV growth. Small Cap Update: Henry Schwartz notes that while the Russell 2000 (IWM) is outperforming YTD (up 6%), historically, this "value over growth" rotation rarely sticks. VIX Volatility: VIX flirting with an 18 handle. Notable paper includes a massive 50,000 lot of the April 80 calls trading for $0.36. The Odd Block: Unusual Activity in WULF and YPF The Flowmaster identifies massive directional bets in two very different names. 1. TeraWulf (WULF) A Bitcoin-related name seeing a $3 million directional bet. The Trade: Buyer of 36,000 Feb 16 Calls (Average price: $0.82). Context: This is a massive sweep that creates the largest regular listed position in the name, likely betting on M&A rumors or a Bitcoin rebound. 2. YPF Sociedad Anonima (YPF) An Argentinian energy ADR seeing unusual size. The Trade: Buyer of 9,999 April 43 Calls. The "Conspiracy": Why 9,999 instead of 10,000? Henry suggests it might be to dodge block scanners set for five-digit minimums. Mail Block: Listener Perspectives Question of the Week: How are you trading this earnings week? Current Results: 44% are selling premium to "live the dream," while the rest are split between buying "juice," trading 0DTE, or staying on the sidelines. VIX Poll: 75% of listeners would rather sell the April 80 calls for $0.36 than buy them. Around the Block: What to Watch Apple (AAPL) Earnings: Reporting after the bell. The market is pricing in a 4% move—roughly double its historical average. Sector Rotations: Watching if the energy (XLE) and industrial (CAT) strength can offset the tech drag. Silver (SLV): Uncle Mike highlights silver's insane run, outperforming the S&P by 8x last year and up 60% this year.

59 min
JAN 26

The Option Block 1439: Skeletor is Lurking

Skeletor is lurking, the metals are screaming, and the earnings gauntlet has begun! In episode 1439 of The Option Block, Mark Longo and the All-Star panel—including "Uncle" Mike Tosaw and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi—take a trip back to the 1980s. With the massive trailer launch for the new Masters of the Universe film, the team kicks things off with some MOTU trivia before breaking down a market that is getting "weird, wild, and funk-delicious." On the Docket: The Trading Block: A look at the "insane" run in Gold ($5k/oz!) and Silver ($100+/oz). Is it a meme, or is inflation finally catching up? Plus, a preview of the "Big Tech" earnings week featuring Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Tesla. The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Papa John's (PZZA) puts, a massive upside play in Aero Copper Corp (ERO), and the "Trump Bump" fade in newcomer USA Rare Earth (USAR). The Strategy Block: Uncle Mike discusses the vital importance of choosing the right benchmarks (BXY, CLL, AGG) to measure your options performance accurately. Around the Block: The team debates whether the "Zero Day" index options will cannibalize the market and what to expect from the looming Apple and Tesla earnings prints. Key Market Levels & Tickers Mentioned: Indices: SPY, IWM, VIX (hovering at 16), VVIX (100) Equities: NVDA, TSLA, AAPL, INTC, MSFT, MAT, USAR Metals: GLD, SLV (up 12% in a single day)

57 min
JAN 23

The Option Block 1438: Live from the STAC 100th Anniversary Conference

The Option Block goes on the road! This week, Mark Longo is coming to you live from the Securities Traders Association (STA) 100th Anniversary event in Chicago. Joined in person by Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz, the team breaks down the biggest highlights from the conference and the massive volatility shifts hitting the equity markets. On This Episode: Live from the Floor: Mark and Henry discuss the 100-year legacy of the STA and the evolution of the options industry from the birth of the CBOE in 1973 to today's high-volume digital environment. The State of the Industry: Henry shares key takeaways from his panel, including the explosion of volume in Single Stock, ETF, and Index options. Plus, a look at how Robinhood has reshaped retail education and reduced friction for a new generation of traders. Volume Predictions for 2026: With the market currently averaging 66-67 million contracts a day, are we on track for a record-shattering 17 billion contracts this year? Monday & Wednesday Expirations: It's a done deal! The team discusses the upcoming listing of Monday and Wednesday daily expirations for major names like Tesla, Nvidia, and Apple, and what this means for after-hours risk management. The "Greenland Trade": Navigating a week where the market swung 100 handles down and 100 handles back up on geopolitical volatility. The Odd Block: The Flowmaster provides an update on ARDX and CWEN, plus a deep dive into the Mag 10 (Magnificent 10 Index) where put volume is currently lighting up the tape at record levels. Get More from The Options Insider: Visit the Website: TheOptionsInsider.com Check out the App: Available on iTunes and Google Play. Follow the Crew: Join the conversation on Twitter/X @Options, Facebook, and StockTwits. This episode of The Option Block is brought to you by Cboe Global Markets. To learn more about the suite of S&P 500 Index Options (SPX) and Mini S&P 500 (XSP) options, visit https:// cboe.com/spx

22 min
JAN 16

The Option Block 1437: It's All About Silver, Biotechs and Nvidia

The markets are showing a splash of green as we break down a wild week in trading with The Flowmaster Henry Schwartz (Cboe Global Markets) and Uncle Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management). From the unprecedented 20% weekly surge in Silver to the aggressive rotation out of Mag 7 tech and into Biotechs and Small Caps, this episode covers the critical moves every options trader needs to know. Plus, we look ahead to a heavy earnings week and reveal the panel's official 2026 VIX Crystal Ball predictions. On This Episode: The Trading Block: The "Meme-ification" of Silver The Silver Surge: Why Uncle Mike thinks Silver has officially entered "meme stock" territory after a staggering 20% move in one week. Market Rotation: Is the Mag 7 reign over? We discuss the rotation into the Russell 2000 (IWM) and the energy sector. Volatility Check: VIX comes back to earth toward the 15 handle, but the VVX remains "frothy" at 98. The Odd Block: Unusual Activity in Small-Cap Tech and Bio Ardelyx (ARDX): Aggressive call buying in this biotech after a legal dismissal. Is there a clinical catalyst on the horizon? T1 Energy (TE): A massive sweep in the February 10 calls. Why Henry is keeping a "steely gaze" on alternative energy. Clearway Energy (CWEN): Unusual March 40 call buyers as the clean energy sector sees a resurgence. The Mail Block: The 2026 VIX Crystal Ball The panel places their official bets on where the VIX will close on December 31st, 2026. Around the Block: Earnings & Geopolitics Earnings Watch: Initial results from Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Taiwan Semi (TSM). Looking Ahead: Previewing moves for Netflix (NFLX), United Airlines (UAL), Intel (INTC), and Charles Schwab (SCHW). The Global Picture: Keeping an eye on Venezuela, Iran, and the upcoming STA Conference in Chicago.

1h 2m
JAN 12

The Option Block 1436: Getting AMP'd up to Sell Smurfette

Kick off the second full trading week of 2026 with Mark Longo (The Options Insider Media Group) and Uncle Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management) as they navigate a market that seemingly "doesn't give an F" about geopolitical turmoil. From potential military interventions to the Fed chair vs. the President, the panel breaks down why the S&P 500 continues to climb a wall of worry while the VIX remains suppressed. In this episode, we break down: The Trading Block: A look at the "Mad New Year" so far. Why is the VIX ignoring the headlines? Plus, a deep dive into the massive volume in Tesla ($TSLA), Nvidia ($NVDA), and the return of the Feb 15 VIX puts. The Odd Block: Unusual activity in newcomers Standard Lithium ($SLI) and Amprius Technologies ($AMPX). Is someone getting "AMP'd" up for a breakout? Smurfette Returns: We revisit the corrugated packaging play Smurfit WestRock ($SMURF). Is the Feb 50 call a smart overwrite or a speculative gamble ahead of earnings? Strategy Block: Uncle Mike discusses the current bond environment and why it might finally be time to look at covered calls on $IEF or $TLT for extra yield. Around the Block: What to expect from the official kickoff of earnings season with the big banks (JPM, WFC, BAC) reporting later this week.

57 min
JAN 8

The Option Block 1435: Looking Back at an ODD Year

The first Thursday of the new trading year is here, and the panel is back to break down a wild start to 2026. From record-breaking volume milestones to unusual activity in AI beauty tech and defense drones, the team dives deep into the forces shaping the market this week. In This Episode: The Trading Block: Mark Longo (The Options Insider), Uncle Mike Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management), and the Flowmaster Henry Schwartz (Cboe) review a mixed start to the session. While the S&P 500 struggles for direction ahead of the jobs number, small caps (IWM) are off to the races—up 5% year-to-date. 2025 Year in Review: Henry Schwartz provides an exclusive data deep dive into the sixth straight record-breaking year for options. Average Daily Volume (ADV): Nearly 61 million contracts. The 15 Billionth Contract: Henry reveals he tracked down the exact moment the milestone occurred—a spread in CoreWeave on the day after Christmas. Strike Proliferation: The industry has officially topped 2 million individual strikes available for trade. Odd Block: Things get weird with unusual activity in: Caesars Entertainment (CZR): Heavy put volume and long-dated March 33 calls. Oddity Tech (ODD): A massive $640k bet on April 50 calls for this AI-driven beauty company. Vision-Wave (VWA): Bullish drone play with volume 16x the norm following geopolitical defense headlines. Mail Block: The team discusses how to track the growth of new retail accounts and why "buying the dip" continues to be a dominant, albeit debated, strategy. Around the Block: Predictions for the upcoming Supreme Court tariff decision, a preview of financial earnings (JPM, BAC, GS), and why the "Mag 10" equal-weighted index is the new one to watch.

1h 2m

See All (1.5K)

The Option Block All-Star Panel breaks down the latest developments in the options market, analyzes unusual options activity, explains cutting-edge options strategies, answers listener questions and much more. Whether you're an active options trader or just getting started in the options market, The Option Block will keep you informed and entertained.