Recent content by jimbo45

Hi there When doing options you need a DIFFERENT mindset. For example today at around 17.30 U.K time You could have SOLD a PUT contract on PCX Expiry on 24 June Strike at 19.00 USD for 0.39 USD so a profit of 39 USD per contract (US market -- I don't bother with european markets). That...

Hi there not sure what the problem is here -- I'm trying to help a Newbie - Options are relatively simple for some people while others have considerable problems in both understanding what they are and how they work. I was trying to explain ito a newbie in fairly simple understandable terms...

Hi there Oh dear -- there's a HUGE amount of confusion if not downright obfuscation on this matter. "Newbies" in options should stick to SELLING options rather than BUYING until they gain more experience. Buyers lose 85% of the time so SELLERS must conversely WIN 85% of the time. Buyers are...

Hi there Logon to your online broker and to get the options screens choose QUOTE==> CHAINS (most brokers trading options have reasonably similar screens). Select the expiry date you want to trade the option in for example on OPTIONSXPRESS its JunWK2. Click Trade on the strike price you want...

US options can be exercised ANY TIME during their life time. This has advantages since with time value you can CLOSE a position quickly and then SELL / BUY another option. In general however unless markets move massively its unlikely you will get CALLED or PUT until expiration. It certainly...

Hi all the word Gambling can mean different things to different people. For example buying Car Insurance is a Gamble -- you are placing your "Stake" with an Insurance company and "betting" on the premise that you won't have an accident. If you are a careful driver you probably won't have one...

Hi all I trade WEEKLY OPTIONS -- usually by SELLING CALLS but in the current market I've been looking at SELLING PUTS. I've found that because most people play a 100% LOSING STATEGY - Chasing Losses or holding a losing position in the hope that the Market will turn and help them recover their...

Hi there Nothing wrong per se with Candlesticks -- all I was saying that for beginning traders having TOO MUCH info can obfuscate the real issue -- so a simple line grapgh of the CLOSE gives you a decent simple graph on which you can add all the indicators you want. Once you get further...

Hi there OptionsXpress are fine for options trading. For Non US residents you need to sign the Federal Witholding Tax exemption Certificate - you'll get this when you apply to open an account -- No money needed to open the account. Costs -- 9.95 USD to trade stocks etc. 14.95 USD for the...

Hi there They are ONLY interested in making money -- that's 100% given -- so you KNOW that they will have to buy back eventually. The trick is in a downward market to look for SAFE stocks -- those companies that you know demand for their products is pretty constant whatever the state of the...

Hi there I tend to think Candlesticks -- especially for Newbies are a confusion. For Newbies I would recommend starting with LINE GRAPHS of purely the End of Day CLOSE and then you can add your Moving aveverage and other indicators on the graph very easily. TOO MUCH data is only a confusion...

Forget COT reports -- even "Moodies" - why should ANYBODY take note of that totally RUBBISH Credit agency -- It got the economy HOPELESSLY WRONG with the Banks and the "Sub Prime Slime" credit which was 99% responsible for the 2008/2009 downturn. (Yet amazingly whole Markets react on MOODY's...

Hi there I use OPTIONSXPRESS To avoid conversion for each trade you can transfer an amount into the account in USD. Then for your trades you won't be charged currency commission. Read the FAQ on the optionsXpress site about "seeding" your account. I do a one time Wired transfer to the Bank in...

Hi there - don't be so negative. For example take futures. -- These actually gurantee some protection to the end producer e.g the farmer against harvest / crop failure, natural disaster such as floods, drought etc etc. They also guarantee some price stability for the end consumer --- just...

Hi there Look at BUY / SELL options Buyers LOSE 85% of the time therefore SELLERS must WIN 85% of the time. The Big BUYERS of options are institutions who use these to "protect" themselves from large losses. They can also WIN BIG too -- so for them the risk is worth it. This is where it...