SPX Credit Spread Trader

Andy,

I spread the use of credit over time and strike as well. I noticed that my profits drops as well as my loss and my stress. When there was time to roll, I did not have time to roll everything.

I missed the move too. For example, I put on only 3 contracts of DEC 1125-1135 and before I can do more, the index moved away from me.

I don't have good answer but just want to share my experience.

-Nick

Quote from andysmith:

REDUCING RISK.
I'd like some feedback on this techique to reduce spread risk. Say you have $100,000 to invest. Instead of putting it all one spread or iron condor, all in one day, how about doing 5 or 10 separate spreads over the course of two weeks?

If the underlying stays totally flat, then all 10 spreads may have identical strikes. But if the underlying moves around then you've distributed your spreads around a dancing underlying, and therefore reduced risk. Comments?
 
Phil,

I had closed all my SPX positons on Thursday, but one. 1250/1260.

Today was an expensive learning experience for many.... me included.

I went back and looked at the Friday opens vs. the SET prices. It was mentioned in an earlier post how the two can be quite a bit different. The SET tends to be higher than the open of Friday... significantly higher with respect to the ATR for the SPX.

We're happy to have been able to support Donna on this learning adventure. Hopefully she'll return the favor someday.

Murray
 
Quote from reengleman:

I just spoke with a rep at the CBOE about the SET being 5 points higher than the high of the day for the SPX. He responded that SET was a settlement figure, as opposed to an index number. When I asked if it could be lower than the previous day's close, he didn't know. I've learned my lesson, and will return to the XEO.

Bob Engleman

I have learn a lesson too !!!

Bob why going back to the XEO, no such SET surprise like this one using the XEO?

Is this SET "discrepencies" specific to the SPX or all indices traded electronicaly or from the pit may have this kind of surprises a month or the other ?

Denis
 
Quote from Sailing:

Phil,

I had closed all my SPX positons on Thursday, but one. 1250/1260.

Today was an expensive learning experience for many.... me included.

I went back and looked at the Friday opens vs. the SET prices. It was mentioned in an earlier post how the two can be quite a bit different. The SET tends to be higher than the open of Friday... significantly higher with respect to the ATR for the SPX.

We're happy to have been able to support Donna on this learning adventure. Hopefully she'll return the favor someday.

Murray

I have kept one 1250/1265 too open just for watching it, this was an expensive training.
 
Market closed at 1242 on THU so we actuall had an 11-point SET. But if you use that 10-point rule- close all short strikes within 10 points of index on THU- it will save you from learning future lessons lol.

Quote from Sailing:

Phil,

I had closed all my SPX positons on Thursday, but one. 1250/1260.

Today was an expensive learning experience for many.... me included.

I went back and looked at the Friday opens vs. the SET prices. It was mentioned in an earlier post how the two can be quite a bit different. The SET tends to be higher than the open of Friday... significantly higher with respect to the ATR for the SPX.

We're happy to have been able to support Donna on this learning adventure. Hopefully she'll return the favor someday.

Murray
 
Quote from optioncoach:

The SET is based on the opening prices of all 500 stocks. If stocks open at different times throughout the morning on gap ups then it could skew the gap higher. The SPX takes all 500 stocks at the same instant while the SET could have stock prices spread out over an hour or so. It is quite possible that the SET was made at the opening of all 500 and most opened at their high for the day but staggared. Imagine taking the index value just using the high for the day of every stock and compare that to the actual high of the index for the day. The only way the index in that situation would have a high similar to the value if all the stocks hit their highs for the day at the same exact time.

So the SET was juiced higher because most stocks gapped up at the open with different open price times.

I was looking at selling the 1245 about 5mins before the close -- it was going for $.70ish. Having learned the above, I now feel like there are times where it pays to buy the nearest OTM call/put depending on the day's bias as a punt. That was a huge pay off today -- 9 pts for a .70 investment. Admittedly, this may be large but I can't help but wonder if there is a strategy worth investigating there...
 
Remember that the futures were strong this morning and there was some nice gaps at the opening. This is not a consistent event with respect to SET so if you want to look into it, take the index values on the THU before each expiration and then compare it to the historical SET values. I think you will find that the SET has large moves and small moves, both higher and lower and no way to tell for sure which it will be. That is why MM keep prmeium in the SPX strikes as the market closes on THU, because a SET could be large and they are pricing in that risk.

Quote from ssternlight:

I was looking at selling the 1245 about 5mins before the close -- it was going for $.70ish. Having learned the above, I now feel like there are times where it pays to buy the nearest OTM call/put depending on the day's bias as a punt. That was a huge pay off today -- 9 pts for a .70 investment. Admittedly, this may be large but I can't help but wonder if there is a strategy worth investigating there...
 
Nick,
Stress, profit, losses -- you're winning on stress and losses -- that's good. But your profits drop too? That's not good, how do you fix that? How about this: since you are putting on smaller positions, how about moving a little closer to the money and increasing the credit?

Quote from skanan:

Andy,

I spread the use of credit over time and strike as well. I noticed that my profits drops as well as my loss and my stress. When there was time to roll, I did not have time to roll everything.

I missed the move too. For example, I put on only 3 contracts of DEC 1125-1135 and before I can do more, the index moved away from me.

I don't have good answer but just want to share my experience.

-Nick
 
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