SPX Credit Spread Trader

[burrben]

Funny, I just called OX yesterday on this topic before I read your posts. You can use the margin %'s coach gave, but to buy the T-bills, or CEF's, you need to have that $$ in cash (ie, no margin requirements at the time). So for those who like to keep positions open in Nov and Dec, you have to wait until all your margin requirements free up before purchasing the product. So to implement this:
1) Wait until all positions expire or close them out, and release your margin requirements, or just purchase with the cash on hand - margin req.
2) Wait until that money is put back into the money market account (about 1day)
3) Buy the T-bills, say 100K
4) Trade credit spreads with 90% of that, or 90K usable for margin requirements.
5) If you lose on the credit spread, or have to close it for a large debit, you would have to liquidate some of the t-bills to pay for the debit if you did not have any cash on hand in a MM account.

Hope this helps, I'm going to wait until my positions clear in Nov and Dec, and start this "supplemental income" strategy Jan 1.

sd

Quote from Agyar:

Do you need to do anything special to make this happen? Or you just buy them and the margin calculates correctly? This works at both TOS and OX?

 

[rdemyan]

I'm uninformed on buying T-bills or funds that emulate purchasing T-bills outright.

How does one actually do this.

Quote from skdoyle1:

Funny, I just called OX yesterday on this topic before I read your posts. You can use the margin %'s coach gave, but to buy the T-bills, or CEF's, you need to have that $$ in cash (ie, no margin requirements at the time). So for those who like to keep positions open in Nov and Dec, you have to wait until all your margin requirements free up before purchasing the product. So to implement this:
1) Wait until all positions expire or close them out, and release your margin requirements, or just purchase with the cash on hand - margin req.
2) Wait until that money is put back into the money market account (about 1day)
3) Buy the T-bills, say 100K
4) Trade credit spreads with 90% of that, or 90K usable for margin requirements.
5) If you lose on the credit spread, or have to close it for a large debit, you would have to liquidate some of the t-bills to pay for the debit if you did not have any cash on hand in a MM account.

Hope this helps, I'm going to wait until my positions clear in Nov and Dec, and start this "supplemental income" strategy Jan 1.

sd

 

[andysmith]

Coach,

If you wanted to share the details of the CEFs you have, why you have them, how you choose them, what the returns have been,... I know we'd listen intently as we have with the credit spreads.

 

[El OchoCinco]

You can buy t-bills or CEFs through your broker. T-bills trade through the bonds platform, as in OX, and CEFs trade just like stocks.

Phil

Quote from rdemyan:

I'm uninformed on buying T-bills or funds that emulate purchasing T-bills outright.

How does one actually do this.

 

[momoneythansens]

Start here:

www.etfconnect.com for research.

I believe Phil has hinted at his preferences before here:

http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&postid=848603#post848603

Quote from andysmith:

Coach,

If you wanted to share the details of the CEFs you have, why you have them, how you choose them, what the returns have been,... I know we'd listen intently as we have with the credit spreads.

 

[El OchoCinco]

If there is interest I could go over CEF selections and how I choose them. I do not want to get too off track but I can provide some details in the next few days.

Phil

 

[andysmith]

I'm very interested. Anyone else?

Quote from optioncoach:

If there is interest I could go over CEF selections and how I choose them. I do not want to get too off track but I can provide some details in the next few days.

Phil

 

[rdemyan]

I'm interested.

Quote from optioncoach:

If there is interest I could go over CEF selections and how I choose them. I do not want to get too off track but I can provide some details in the next few days.

Phil

 

[burrben]

I'm interested, and I'm buying a Call on the EliteTrader Nov 335 .ETJHB that we'll hit page 335 with a ton of "I'm interested" comments.

My first directional bet this year......

sd

Quote from rdemyan:

I'm interested.

 

[clslaw]

Coach,

I am very interested in your thoughts about CEF's and would welcome a discussion about selection criteria and other related matters, whether on this forum or elsewhere.

Chris