The Futures Rundown

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Everything you ever wanted to know about the futures markets all in one place. Brought to you by Plus500. Go to https://ctsfutures.com/ to learn more.

  1. The Futures Rundown 81: A Blood-Red Week in Silver, Crude and Crypto

    Jun 24

    The Futures Rundown 81: A Blood-Red Week in Silver, Crude and Crypto

    It was a brutal week across many of the most popular futures markets. On this episode of The Futures Rundown, Mark Longo breaks down a massive selloff that hammered precious metals, cryptocurrencies, and other key futures products. Silver led the losers, plunging nearly 20% on the week, while Bitcoin and Ether continued their painful year-to-date declines. Meanwhile, energy markets remained volatile as traders digested developments in the Middle East and watched fuel prices retreat from recent highs. Inside this episode: Silver's stunning collapse and why traders are watching the July 40 puts Bitcoin and Ether continue their 2026 bloodletting Platinum and palladium join the precious metals selloff Cocoa stages a surprising comeback VIX futures catch a bid The year's biggest winners and losers across the futures landscape Record activity in Nasdaq Micro futures RBOB gasoline and heating oil pull back from their recent highs What futures traders should be watching next

    13 min
  2. The Futures Rundown 80: Revenge of the Losers

    Jun 17

    The Futures Rundown 80: Revenge of the Losers

    Welcome to another action-packed edition of The Futures Rundown! On this Fed week and shortened holiday session leading into Juneteenth, host Mark Longo breaks down a fascinating "bifurcated" tape. Is it finally time for the beaten-down assets to mount a comeback? We deep dive into a week dubbed the "Revenge of the Losers" as some of the year's biggest underperformers find their footing. Plus, we break down the latest interest rate decision from the Federal Reserve, massive volume spikes in equity micros, and the energy market wipeout. In this episode, we cover: The Trading Pit: Weekly upside movers including Silver, Palladium, Cocoa, Coffee, and a surprising rally in Ether (ETH) futures. The Energy annihilation: What's driving the massive downside in WTI, Brent crude, RBOB, and heating oil amidst Middle East detente rumors. Fed Day Reality Check: How the markets reacted to the Fed holding rates steady under the new Fed governor, and why volume suddenly went wild in the second half of the session. Volume Leaders: A look at the massive paper moving through Nasdaq Micros, 10-Year notes, and the E-mini. Year-to-Date Movers & Shakers: Checking in on the biggest winners (spoiler: nonfat dry milk is still king) and the cellar-dwellers of 2026.

    13 min
  3. The Futures Rundown 79: It all Comes Back to Energy

    Jun 11

    The Futures Rundown 79: It all Comes Back to Energy

    The futures markets are reacting violently to changing geopolitical headlines, but are financial assets completely detached from physical reality? In this episode of The Futures Rundown, host Mark Longo welcomes back Brian Pieri, founder of Energy Rogue, to break down why the global commodity complex always finds its way back to energy. Mark and Brian take a deep dive into the massive physical vs. financial mispricing in the crude markets, the tightening Brent to WTI spread, and the global domino effect triggering massive supply-demand shocks. From the agricultural impacts of high diesel prices to the explosive moves in RBOB, heating oil, and soybean oil—discover how energy is fundamentally reshaping correlations across the entire market, including tech equities and crypto. In this episode, we cover: The Physical vs. Financial Disconnect: Why physical barrels are clearing much higher than screen prices. Trading the Spreads: Why the Brent/WTI and RBOB/Heating Oil spreads offer compelling opportunities right now. The Diesel Crunch: How global shortages of sour crude are inflating everything from Amazon deliveries to livestock and wheat. Equities & Crypto on a Cliff: A look at the top 10 volume movers and whether tech values are artificially inflated. The Long-Term Commodity Outlook: Why metals (silver, palladium) and certain agricultural products are positioning for sustained growth.

    41 min
  4. The Futures Rundown 78: Aging Crude Rally and Flesh-Eating Parasites!!!

    Jun 3

    The Futures Rundown 78: Aging Crude Rally and Flesh-Eating Parasites!!!

    In this episode, host Mark Longo is joined by veteran futures broker and author Carley Garner of DeCarley Trading to break down a wild week of macro action, massive energy spikes, and some deeply unusual livestock drivers. Mark and Carley dive into the ongoing Middle East conflict's impact on energy, tracing why the crude oil rally is starting to "get old" despite the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed. They analyze the structural parallels between the current market and the 2022 price spikes, outline the best hedging strategies using micro futures and options, and explain why soybean oil is stepping up as a fascinating energy substitute. They also break down this week's top movers—including an unexpected surge in cash-settled butter—and take a look at the dark side of the tape, where crypto (Bitcoin and Ether) and grains are experiencing aggressive liquidations. Plus, Carley reveals how "screw worm" flesh-eating parasites, border closures, and a multi-year drought have fueled an historic, toppy rally in live cattle futures. In this episode, we cover: The Trading Pit: Early vs. later-stage trading strategies during geopolitical conflicts; selling expensive upside call premium in WTI and Brent. The Energy Overdrive: Why heating oil, RBOB, and soybean oil are pacing the year-to-date leaderboard. Crypto vs. Equities Divergence: Bitcoin ($BTC) and Ether ($ETH) falling out of lockstep with the tech-heavy NASDAQ. Is Bitcoin still a reliable risk barometer? Livestock & Ag Breakdown: Spotting a potential double-top in Live Cattle and how to manage downside risk using cheap options. Futures Free-for-All Q&A: Carley's take on the upcoming move to 23.5-hour equity trading and extended options hours, plus cutting through social media "hype" coins.

    37 min
  5. The Futures Rundown 77: The Equity Battle Heats Up

    May 27

    The Futures Rundown 77: The Equity Battle Heats Up

    Are equity index derivatives finally getting some real competition? In this episode, MIAX Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Shelly Brown joins host Mark Longo on the Futures Hot Seat to unpack their new index product suite developed with Bloomberg. The conversation focuses on the structural mechanics of the new Tini Bloomberg 100 Futures ($TBQ) and the upcoming rollout of the Tini Bloomberg 500 Futures ($TBX). Shelly explains how these 100% objective, algorithmically-driven indices operate compared to traditional benchmarks like the Nasdaq and S&P—including how a strict mathematical methodology allows them to fast-track new IPOs into the index. They also look at the microstructure advantages designed to attract retail order flow: lower exchange fees, tight market maker spreads, and capital efficiencies via OCC clearing. Plus, we get a realistic timeline for index options and a upcoming Spikes 2.0 volatility product. Later, Mark heads into The Trading Pit to break down a wild week of price action across the tape: The Green Side: Small caps lead the charge with the Russell 2000 surging over 6%, Cocoa catches a rare bid, and the new Tini Bloomberg 100 makes an immediate debut on our weekly upside list. The Dark Side: Energy gets hammered. WTI, Brent, and RBOB slide roughly 14% on potential Middle East resolution news, while lithium and wheat follow to the downside. Volume Leaders: Micro Nasdaq contracts and Treasury rates see heavy volume blocks dominating the weekly data. Get early access to live streams, Pro Q&As, and more at The Options Insider Pro .

    30 min
  6. The Futures Rundown 76: Forget Stocks and Oil - It's all About Cattle and Sulfuric Acid!!!

    May 21

    The Futures Rundown 76: Forget Stocks and Oil - It's all About Cattle and Sulfuric Acid!!!

    This episode of The Futures Rundown goes way beyond stocks and crude as Mark Longo and Kevin Green from the Schwab Network dive into the futures stories nobody else is talking about. From booming cattle prices and live calf auctions to sulfuric acid shortages impacting global copper production, this show covers the wild side of the futures markets. Plus: energy, metals, natural gas, coffee, cocoa, rates, and the latest geopolitical impacts shaping futures trading.

    32 min
  7. The Futures Rundown 75: Return Of Metals Insania Mania?

    May 14

    The Futures Rundown 75: Return Of Metals Insania Mania?

    The metals markets are heating up once again! On this episode of The Futures Rundown, host Mark Longo is joined by Dana Samuelson, President of the American Gold Exchange, to break down the "Insania-Mania" currently gripping the precious metals space. They dive deep into the counterintuitive performance of Gold during recent geopolitical conflicts, the massive physical demand driving Silver back toward recent highs, and why Platinum is suddenly catching a bid. Plus, they explore the "sneaky" fundamentals of Copper and why the electrification of India is a long-term game changer. Highlights include: The Gold Liquidity Trap: Why the "King of Shiny" sold off while oil rallied. Silver Frenzy 2.0: Analyzing the dislocation between New York and London markets. Battery Tech Revolution: Could silver-based batteries replace lithium for EVs? Rates vs. Metals: How the 10-year Treasury yield is "driving the bus" for precious metals pricing. The Trading Pit: A look at the week's biggest movers, from Wheat and Oats to the recent slump in Bitcoin and Cocoa.

    35 min
  8. The Futures Rundown 74: Crude Reigns Supreme

    Apr 30

    The Futures Rundown 74: Crude Reigns Supreme

    Is the "Strait of Hormuz" the only phrase you're hearing lately? You aren't alone. In this episode of The Futures Rundown, Mark Longo and Jermal Chandler, Head of Options Strategy at tastytrade, dive deep into a market where geopolitics is keeping Crude Oil firmly on the throne. The duo breaks down a wild week in the pits, where energy is lighting up the tape while precious metals like Silver and Platinum lose their luster. They also tackle the "AI trumps all" sentiment in equities and what the recent Fed decision means for your portfolio. Inside this episode: The Trading Pit: A "Top 6" countdown of the biggest movers, featuring the massive rallies in WTI, Brent, and RBOB Gasoline. Ag Watch: Why wheat is catching a bid and the strange correlation between fertilizer routes and your bread prices. The "Shiny Stuff" Slump: Why traders are abandoning Gold and Silver to chase the oil trade. Most Active Contracts: Breaking down the heavy volume in the 10-Year Note and the Micro NASDAQ on Fed Day. The Year-to-Date Leaderboard: A look at the staggering 103% gain in Heating Oil and the continued freefall of Cocoa. Genius Loves Company. See for yourself why Investopedia named tastytrade the Best Broker for Options in 2024. Visit tastytrade.com/podcasts to learn more.

    30 min
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Everything you ever wanted to know about the futures markets all in one place. Brought to you by Plus500. Go to https://ctsfutures.com/ to learn more.

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