Public enemy No. 1, or Wall Street hero? Either way, odds say Amazon will dominate competitors for a long time to come. Consider the great accomplishments of humankind—harnessing fire, inventing the wheel, discovering electricity, achieving flight. Let’s add Amazon to that list. Amazon (AMZN) didn’t invent the internet, or even online shopping, but it used … Continued
As low-cap stocks, SPACs have built-in volatility. That’s a good thing. During the past year, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) have grown in popularity, not only because they finance companies but also because they offer opportunities for options traders. For the former, SPACs reduce regulatory hassle and speed up the availability of new products and … Continued
What can we learn from the possibility of alien life or the idea that we live in a massive simulation? If someone wanted to make the Hawaiian language a larger part of our lexicon, the word “oumuamua” would be a good start. When astronomers spotted a smallish (by astronomical standards) object back in 2017, it … Continued
Traders don’t need the highest IQ in the room—they can succeed with discipline, quick calculations, confident decisions and a little online help People are sensitive about IQ. It’s a metric that purportedly reveals intelligence, and everyone wants to be thought of as smart—or at least smarter than average. And in the 100 years or so … Continued
Scientists can only guess when the next pandemic or earthquake will strike, but with the help of volatility traders can quantifiably predict stock prices The year 2020 will be remembered as tumultuous. With COVID-19, civil unrest and a highly emotional and consequential election, it’s a wonder anyone had time to look at the market. But … Continued
Which party will control the White House and Congress? The dirty little secret is the markets really couldn’t care less. You know Xi Jinping? General Secretary of the Communist Party of China? Dictator for life? Crusher of protests? Look at his picture. If you didn’t know anything about the guy, tell me he couldn’t be … Continued
Even when it comes to a house, active investors don’t have to be passive Sitting down? Good. At home? Even better. Because beneath you lies your biggest single investment. Or should I say so-called investment? That would be your house. That’s where most people place most of the money they’ve earned. For others—those with significant … Continued
Models aren’t just for pricing options—they can (sometimes) predict the spread and mortality of a pandemic. Just keep expectations in check. Models, by definition, are not precise and, inevitably, the people who rely on them seem less than perfect. Here’s a fact: The people who attack the models predicting the number of infections and deaths … Continued
It’s said with good authority that volatility “skew” was born Oct. 19, 1987, when the magnitude of the market drop on Black Monday indicated all those previously out-of-the-money (OTM) puts that were now in-the-money had been much too inexpensive. Before volatility skew entered the world, the theoretical value of options was determined by a single … Continued
Yes, active investment strategy has a lot in common with testing vaccines As though real-life were imitating a medical drama, COVID-19 is providing a glimpse into vaccine development. Testing a vaccine is perhaps the most important step in the process of making it available to the public. First, researchers don’t want to make someone sick … Continued
