Dry Bulk Index

Those of you who are still interested in dry bulk shipping, this chart over at StockTwits shows you what the DBI has been doing...

http://stocktwits.com/message/16369733

If the bull market stays intact TNK, FRO, GNK have some opportunity.

Yes, I still hold TNK--dividend has dropped but still is paying a dividend...

Happy Trading...

Twitter IPO

Twitter is looking to sell as many as 80.5 million shares priced at $17 to $20 each under its highly-anticipated initial public offering.

Twitter is expected to price on Nov 6 and begin trading on Nov 7.

Giving Twitter $1.6 billion. The plana is to sell 70 million shares and an additional 10.5 million if the demand is there on IPO day.

It will list on the NYSE and not the NASDAQ...

Happy Trading...

CBOE Short Term Volatility Index

NEW CBOE SHORT-TERM VOLATILTY INDEX (VXST)
On October 1, CBOE introduced its latest innovation in the volatility space – the CBOE Short-Term Volatility Index^SM (VXST^SM). Like the CBOE Volatility Index^® (VIX^®), VXST reflects investors' consensus view of expected stock market volatility. Whereas VIX has a 30-day horizon and is calculated using SPX monthly options, VXST looks out just 9 days and includes S&P 500 options that expire in one week in its calculation. With this 9-day window, VXST is particularly responsive to changes in shorter-term volatility. During the period from January 2011 through August 2013, the historical volatilities of the indexes were 180 for VXST, and 116 for the VIX. 

For more information, including price history and charts, visit www.cboe.com/VXST.

VOLUME GROWTH IN SPX WEEKLYS^SM Average daily volume in SPX Weeklys options has grown from 13,765 contracts in September 2010 to 179,437 contracts in September 2013 (an increase of 1204%). The shorter-time horizon of Weeklys options allows investors to more precisely target buying, selling or spreading strategies. 

For more information and a volume chart, visit www.cboe.com/SPXW. 

NEW PM-SETTLED MINI-SPX OPTIONS (XSP^SM) TO BE LAUNCHED NOVEMBER 5 
On Tuesday, November 5, 2013, CBOE will introduce new, PM-settled Mini-SPX Index Options (XSP) based on 1/10th the value of the S&P 500 Index^® (SPX). The new XSP options will replace CBOE's AM-settled Mini-SPX options. The transition from AM to PM settlement in mini-SPX responds to customer demand for cash-settled options with PM-settlement among investors who currently trade physically-settled ETF options. Recently, the underlying values for SPX options and CBOE’s Mini-SPX (XSP) options were around 1700 and 170 respectively. 

For more information on XSP options, including a link to the recent RegulatoryCircular, visitwww.cboe.com/XSP. 

Where are we with the TVIX?

as posted a long while ago was loading up on TVIX when it was 2.60.  I usually layer in to volatile trades which worked well here.  Was buying all the way down into the 1.50 range for a good cost basis.  Syria is assisting in fear right now so this turned out to be a good trade. still more neg news in the future, debt ceiling, sequestration impacts, slow down in housing, jobs number not great, tapering... etc.  The model didn't work as planned this time but is still working out, albeit slowly.  If you are in stay the course for north 2$ range.


happy trading!

VIX below 15

OK, so not a lot of publishing for a long time.  Sorry, been busy... trading volatility.

The rule has been long the VIX under 15 and short the VIX over 17, not hard and fast rules, but have been safe bets.

TVIX in the 2.60 range, starting to load-up for an all-in position.  It has been a wild ride lately.

News this week shot stocks up, Europe planning on more bail out aid, how can that possibly be good.  Sequestration in the U.S. will start showing it's impacts, especially since the govt's fiscal year starts Oct 1 and the cuts mandated will eat into most federal programs and prevent federal contract growth, meaning less jobs.

Buy TVIX, VXX (VXX options) and hold them!

Happy trading...