This Week in Futures Options

The Options Insider Radio Network
  • 4.8 (15)
  • INVESTING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Gold, crude oil, corn, soybeans and more - with so many tradeable products the futures options market is an intimidating place. How can you possibly keep track of the latest trading activity across so many different products? Don't worry - we've got you covered. Welcome to This Week in Futures Options - the program designed to help active futures options traders stay on top of this ever-changing marketplace. Each week we'll break down the top trades, hot products, volatility explosions and much more. Whether you're an experienced veteran or a newcomer looking to separate the wheat from the lean hogs, This Week in Futures Options has the information you can't find anywhere else...

  1. TWIFO 484: Equity Corrections and Silver Stampedes

    4D AGO

    TWIFO 484: Equity Corrections and Silver Stampedes

    Is the early 2024 equity rally finally facing a reality check? Join Mark Longo and Kevin Green, Senior Markets Correspondent at Schwab Network, as they break down a wild week in the futures options markets. From "rotation trades" in the indices to the aftermath of a "Black Friday" in silver, we cover the moves that matter. In this episode, we dive into: Equities: Is the recent pullback a healthy correction or the start of something deeper? We analyze the massive 0DTE flow in the E-mini S&P 500 and a curious 22-day downside hedge in the 6,500 puts. Plus, a look at the carnage in small caps and concerning trends in commercial real estate. Metals: We recap the "blow-off top" in Silver. With implied volatility hitting near triple digits, is the stampede over, or are traders just reloading for the next run? Kevin shares his boots-on-the-ground experience from the physical silver market. Agriculture: Soybeans are back on the menu! We explore the spike in July soybean calls and how South American production targets are shifting the narrative for 2026.

    42 min

  2. FEB 6

    TWIFO 483: Giving the Big Adios to Equities, Crypto and Silver

    This episode of This Week in Futures Options (TWIFO) captures a high-stakes, "all-red" day across the global markets. Host Mark Longo and veteran analyst Dan Gramza break down a massive sell-off hitting everything from equities and crypto to metals, providing actionable insights into whether this is a "big adios" or a buying opportunity. Episode Overview: The "Big Adios" Sell-Off The markets are seeing a sea of red as equities, metals, and crypto face intense selling pressure. Mark and Dan navigate the wreckage to find where the volatility is exploding and where the smart money is positioning itself amidst the carnage. Key Highlights from the Show: Metals Meltdown: A deep dive into the "Silver Madness." With Silver down over 34% this week, the team discusses triple-digit volatility levels and whether the market has finally reached a "double bottom" or if there's more pain to come. Equities Rotation: Is the AI trade finally over? Analysis of the aggressive unwind in the S&P 500 and the rotation into small caps (Russell 2000), including the impact of the newly launched zero-day (0DTE) options on major individual components like Tesla and Nvidia. Crypto Carnage: Bitcoin takes a 22% hit since Monday. Dan explores the correlation between the NASDAQ and Bitcoin, identifying the $60,000 level as the next crucial psychological floor. Movers & Shakers: A breakdown of the rare "Light Side" winners (Milk and Soybeans) versus the "Dark Side" losers (Silver, Bitcoin, and Natural Gas). Energy & Ags: Why the geopolitical tension between the US and Iran is the "X-factor" for Crude Oil and why Natural Gas continues its downward slide despite cold temperatures. Inside the Options Flow: S&P 500 (ES): Analysis of a massive 30,000-contract put spread trade (6,600/6,650) and what it signals for market sentiment over the next 15 days. Silver (SI): High-volume activity in the March 70 puts and the surprising demand for "lottery ticket" March par (100) calls. Bitcoin (BTC): Institutional vs. Retail flow, including a look at the "stock repair" strategies appearing in the March cycle.

    58 min
  3. TWIFO 482: Riding the Storm in Small Caps, Crude, Silver and...Rough Rice?

    JAN 30

    TWIFO 482: Riding the Storm in Small Caps, Crude, Silver and...Rough Rice?

    This episode of This Week in Futures Options (TWIFO) captures a market in transition. As we move through January 2026, the "All-In" equity trade is facing a rotation, silver is behaving like a high-octane meme stock, and even the most obscure products like Rough Rice are seeing double-digit vol spikes. Whether you are hedging a portfolio against an earnings-season sell-off or looking to harvest high premiums in the metals, this episode provides the professional analysis you need to separate the wheat from the Lean Hogs. Episode Highlights The Movers & Shakers: A Tale of Two Tapes The Jedi (Light Side) are winning this week, but the Sith (Dark Side) struck the hardest blows in percentage terms. The Dark Side: Natural Gas plummeted 23.9%, Bitcoin dropped 6.3%, and the Russell 2000 took a breather after a massive YTD run. The Light Side: Silver stole the show, rallying over 20% on the week. WTI Crude and Brent both surged ~10%, while Palladium saw a double-digit rebound. Equities: The Great Rotation of 2026 Uncle Mike Tosaw reveals a major strategic shift, moving away from Large Caps and into Mid-Caps and Small Caps. Large Cap Fatigue: The S&P 500 is up 72% over three years, while Mid-Caps are up only 33%. Is the gap finally closing? Zero-Day Obsession: Despite the 0DTE craze, the "Big Dog" trade this week was the 6,600 Puts in the E-mini S&P, expiring in 22 days—a massive hedge against upcoming tech earnings. Energy: Crude is Back on the Menu WTI Crude hit a rare 1-million contract week. The Conflict Trade: With Middle East tensions rising, traders are aggressive in the March 70 and 75 calls, betting on an $80 handle by summer. Volatility Alert: Crude vol in March is currently sitting at 56.7, up nearly 14 points on the week. Metals: Silver's "Meme Stock" Era Silver is up over 400% in three years, leading Uncle Mike to label it the new meme stock of the commodities world. Historic Volatility: Silver vol is currently at a staggering 107.2. The Upside Play: Massive flow in the March 120 calls (only 7 handles away!) as traders chase the vertical spike. The Curveball: Rough Rice? In a TWIFO first, the panel explores the esoteric world of Rough Rice options. Market Dynamics: Despite low liquidity, Rough Rice saw a 4.6% move this week with a metal-like skew where calls are catching a heavy bid. The All-Star Panel Mark Longo: Founder, Options Insider Media Group "Uncle" Mike Tosaw: Wealth Manager, St. Charles Wealth Management

    57 min
  4. TWIFO 481: Geopolitical Volatility, Greenland Tensions, and the Nasdaq Put Surge

    JAN 23

    TWIFO 481: Geopolitical Volatility, Greenland Tensions, and the Nasdaq Put Surge

    Geopolitical drama is back on the menu, and the futures options markets are feeling the heat. In this episode of This Week in Futures Options (TWIFO), Mark Longo breaks down a wild week where nearly every complex saw a volatility explosion. From potential trade wars to "Greenland drama," we explore how the tape is reacting at CME Group. On today's episode, we dive into: The Movers & Shakers Report The Volatility Spike: A look at the CVOL (CME Volatility Index) across the board. Why Treasury vol is roaring back to life (up 10 points) and Energy is pining the needle at 69.35. Natural Gas Mania: Nat Gas jumps a staggering 57% as the polar vortex hits. Metals & FX: Precious metals explode in both price and vol, while FX vol gains a full point on trade war chatter. The Dark Side: Bitcoin slides over 8%, leading the losers alongside Palladium and Copper. Equities: The Big Tech Rotation Nasdaq vs. Small Caps: We analyze the pronounced rotation out of large-cap tech and into small caps. Zero-DTE Action: A deep dive into the massive paper hitting the Nasdaq-100 (NQ), where 0-DTE contracts dominated 43% of the weekly flow. The March Skew: Why traders are paying a premium for March 24,000 puts in the Nasdaq and what it means for the next 60 days of market risk. Call Discounts: Is the 13.5% discount on March calls a buying opportunity or a warning sign? Market Intelligence Geopolitical Impact: How the "Greenland deal" headlines and Middle East tensions are impacting WTI and precious metals.

    29 min
  5. TWIFO 480: Stunning Small Caps, Rotating Rates and Scary Silver!!!

    JAN 16

    TWIFO 480: Stunning Small Caps, Rotating Rates and Scary Silver!!!

    Is Silver the new meme stock? Are Small Caps finally ready to lead the pack? Join Mark Longo of The Options Insider and special guest Rich Excell from the University of Illinois (and the Stay Vigilant Substack) as they break down a historic week in the futures options markets. From parabolic moves in metals to a massive rotation within the equity space, the guys analyze the data you can't find anywhere else. Inside This Episode: The Great Equity Rotation: Why tech is taking a backseat as the Russell 2000 (RUT) explodes. Is this the "mean reversion" trade of the decade? Silver's Parabolic Run: Silver is up over 20% in a week. We look at the "price insensitive" buying and the wild 120/125 call spreads hitting the tape. Treasury Volatility Collapse: With Treasury price vol hitting anemic lows, Rich explains why he's looking at asymmetric put butterflies to hedge against a yield backup. Movers & Shakers: A 70/30 split to the green side at CME Group this week. We analyze the carnage in Nat Gas versus the "heater" in Platinum and Soybean Oil. Crypto Divergence: Why the tech use cases for Ethereum and Solana are starting to outpace Bitcoin in the eyes of the market. Technical Deep Dives: Skew Analysis: Why silver calls remain bid despite the massive price surge. RUT Options: Analyzing the heavy flow in the March 2500/2400 put spreads. CVOL Insights: Tracking the surge in Metals vol versus the "nothing burger" in Treasury yield vol. Connect with the Show: Follow Rich Excell: @ExcellRichard or his Substack, Stay Vigilant . Track the Data: CME Group QuikStrike/TWIFO Go Pro: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

    1h 2m
  6. TWIFO 479: A Year of Treacherous and Improbable Events

    JAN 9

    TWIFO 479: A Year of Treacherous and Improbable Events

    The first "January Lion" of 2026 has arrived. Join Mark Longo and Carley Garner of DeCarley Trading as they kick off the new year with a high-octane look at the futures options landscape. From the aftermath of a historic 2025 to the geopolitical shocks of the first week of January, this episode breaks down why the "old rules" of the commodity markets are being rewritten. In This Episode: The 2025 Retrospective: A look back at a "once-in-50-year" event in the metals complex. Carley provides a candid "humbling" on the massive surge in gold and silver, and why 2025 was the year of the devoted trend follower. The Silver Beast: Silver dominated last year with a 140%+ gain. Carley and Mark discuss the "Reverse 2020" effect, the impact of triple-leveraged ETFs, and why trading Silver options right now requires nerves of steel and a massive margin account. Movers & Shakers: * The Light Side: A continuation of the metals rally (Silver, Platinum, Palladium) and a surprising 5% YTD surge in the Russell 2000 ($RUT). The Dark Side: Energy struggles as WTI and Brent lead the losers, while Natural Gas faces a "trap door" at the $3.60 pivot. Equity Index Analysis: Why the "Mag 7" dominance is yielding to a Small-Cap catch-up play in the Russell. Plus, a strategy for "tail-risk nibbling" using deep out-of-the-money March and June puts. Energy & Geopolitics: The team breaks down the "Maduro effect" and why Venezuela's supply won't be a quick fix for the crude markets. Carley explores the possibility of a capitulation move in oil toward the low $40s. Viewer Q&A: The blurring lines between "trading" and "betting" as CME and FanDuel move closer together. Market Volatility Snapshot (CVOL) Treasury Yield Vol: Pinning the needle at 78.9 (High for the week). Energy CVOL: Popping to 60.6 as geopolitical tensions rise. Metals CVOL: Easing slightly to 31.0 despite massive moves in the underlying.

    54 min
  7. TWIFO 478: Crude Embargoes and Winter Wheat

    12/19/2025

    TWIFO 478: Crude Embargoes and Winter Wheat

    Is the energy market ready for a supply shock? On the final TWIFO of 2025, Mark Longo breaks down the surge in Energy CVOL as the U.S. intensifies pressure on Venezuela. With a crude oil embargo ratcheting up, we examine how WTI Crude is reacting and what the "Smart Money" is pricing into the February options skew. We also shift our focus to the Ag complex, specifically Chicago Wheat (SRW), where we're seeing a surprising "Precious Metals-style" skew. From zero-cost collars in March Wheat to the massive 15% explosion in Palladium, we break down the movers and shakers at CME Group to close out the year. Movers and Shakers: The CME Group Heatmap The Dark Side: Natural Gas leads the decline (off 7.04%), followed by BTC Crypto (off 6%) and S&P Tech (off 4.5%). The Light Side: Palladium is the standout winner (up 15.1%), with Platinum (up 5.6%) and Silver (up 2.2%) following the shiny metal trend. Product Breakdown: Energy & Ag WTI Crude Oil: Analyzing the shift to a 5% put bid in February. Is the market fading the Venezuela rally? Chicago Wheat: Breaking down the 550 call vs. 500 put volume. Why are traders loading up on March upside? CVOL Update: Energy Volatility roars to the high of the week (63.68) while Treasury Yield Volatility hits multi-month lows.

    30 min
  8. TWIFO 477: The Hunt Bros vs. The Widowmaker

    12/12/2025

    TWIFO 477: The Hunt Bros vs. The Widowmaker

    This episode of 'This Week in Futures Options' delivers a detailed analysis of the futures options market, focusing on the latest trends and significant movements in silver futures options and natural gas futures options trading activity. Hosted by Mark Longo, the program provides essential insights into the top futures trades, volatility shifts, and hot products for the week. The show includes statistics on both the light and dark sides of the market, highlighting noteworthy trades like a February 80-85 call spread in silver and active movements in January natural gas options.

    33 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
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About

Gold, crude oil, corn, soybeans and more - with so many tradeable products the futures options market is an intimidating place. How can you possibly keep track of the latest trading activity across so many different products? Don't worry - we've got you covered. Welcome to This Week in Futures Options - the program designed to help active futures options traders stay on top of this ever-changing marketplace. Each week we'll break down the top trades, hot products, volatility explosions and much more. Whether you're an experienced veteran or a newcomer looking to separate the wheat from the lean hogs, This Week in Futures Options has the information you can't find anywhere else...

Information

  • Creator
    The Options Insider Radio Network
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    494
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 The Options Insider Radio Network
  • Show Website
    This Week in Futures Options