The Options Insider Radio Network

In this episode of This Week in Futures Options, Mark Longo dives into a wild week of trading dominated by headlines surrounding the Iran conflict. From massive moves in WTI Crude to a fascinating rotation in the Russell 2000, we break down the movers and shakers lighting up the tape at CME Group. In this episode, we cover: The Movers & Shakers: Why WTI Crude Oil topped the list with an 18% move while Natural Gas continued its slide to the "dark side." Safe Havens vs. Risk Assets: A look at Gold, Silver, and Platinum's performance during geopolitical uncertainty. Equities & Small Caps: A deep dive into the Russell 2000 (RTY), exploring the 2300 put spreads and why puts dominated the tape despite a late-week rally. Volatility & Skew: Analyzing the 7-point drop in small-cap volatility and how skew is shifting in the April contracts. Whether you're a veteran trader or a newcomer, tune in for the data-driven insights you need to navigate today's volatile futures options marketplace. This episode is brought to you by CME Group.

Market volatility is mirroring the spring weather—swinging from 80 degrees to 40 in a flash. Host Mark Longo is joined by "The Flowmaster" Henry Schwartz of Cboe and Uncle Mike Tosaw of St. Charles Wealth Management to break down a record-shattering month in the options market and find out why everyone is suddenly trading... soup? On this episode, the crew dives into: The Trading Block: A look at a massive "Red Thursday." We recap the overnight sell-off fueled by geopolitical tensions and the surprising intraday recovery. Volume Records: March was a "banger." We break down the OCC numbers showing over 1.5 billion contracts traded—the spiciest month in history. The Odd Block: * Campbell Soup (CPB): Why is there aggressive call buying in a stock the CEO allegedly caught on a hot mic disparaging? Marathon Digital (MARA): Deciphering the massive roll in the 8.5 calls as crypto miners pivot to AI data centers. Replimune Group (REPL): A 300% IV biotech play that has "wild" written all over it. Around the Block: Predictions on the long-term market impact of Middle East conflicts and what to watch for in a truncated holiday week.

In investing, we're often fixated on outcomes, where a stock starts and where it ends up. But how a stock gets from one price to another can matter just as much as the destination itself. In this latest episode of the Wide World of Options podcast, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes guest Jay Soloff of Investor's Alley to discuss Path Dependency and how it can shape risk, investor behavior, and real-world returns in ways that a simple beginning and ending price can never fully capture.

Is crude oil the new meme stock, or are we just witnessing a classic supply shock? In this episode of The Futures Rundown, Mark Longo is joined by Brett Friedman, Managing Partner at Winhall Risk Analytics, to dissect a wild week in the pits. As geopolitical tensions shift from Venezuela to Iran, the energy complex has reclaimed center stage. We break down why WTI and Brent are seeing "triple-digit" volatility levels—territory usually reserved for Natural Gas—and whether the current market madness truly is "unprecedented" or if history has a lesson for today's traders. In this episode, we explore: The Energy Surge: Why WTI and Brent are dominating the tape and what the extreme backwardation in the futures curve is telling us about the next three months. The Gold & Silver Flip: Why the "debasement trade" lost its luster just as conflict flared, and whether gold is still a "flight to quality" or just another risk asset. Volatility Reality Check: Brett compares today's markets to Gulf War I, Gulf War II, and the 2020 "negative crude" era. The Trading Pit: A countdown of the week's biggest gainers and losers, from Heating Oil's massive rally to the ongoing "bloodletting" in the Crypto complex. Equities & Correlation: How the S&P is reacting to headlines out of Washington and what rising correlation indexes mean for your strategy.

Happy April Fool's Day! In this special "Options Fool's Day" edition of Options Boot Camp, Mark Longo is joined by guest instructor John Kmiecik from Market Taker Mentoring (filling in for Dan Passarelli, who may or may not be riding donkeys in Santorini). While the spirit of the day is lighthearted, the lessons on what NOT to do are very real. The duo dives into a "too good to be true" scenario involving high-ratio spreads, exploring the seductive but dangerous world of "free lunch" trading. We also have a bit of fun with some "breaking" (and completely fabricated) OCC volume numbers to see if the golden goose of options trading is finally cooked. In this episode, we cover: The March Pro Trading Crate Giveaway: We crown our latest winner! The "Infinite Return" Myth: A deep dive into ratio spreads, 1x4 lopsided trades, and why "zero outlay" usually comes with a massive hidden price tag. Market Satire: Analyzing the (fake) cracks in options volume and what the real state of the industry looks like. Education vs. Pranks: Distinguishing between sound strategy and the "nonsense" that can lead a small account to ruin. Disclaimer: This episode contains April Fool's satire. Please do not attempt 1x4 net short ratio spreads at home unless you enjoy financial ruin!

Don't let the date fool you—the volatility in today's market is no joke! In this episode of The Hot Options Report, Mark Longo breaks down a high-energy Wednesday session where tech giants dominated the tape and a massive put bias swept through specific sectors. We start with a deep dive into the Put Bias Scan from TheHotOptionsReport.com , highlighting unusual activity in the Materials Sector (XLB) and Germany ETF (EWG), before revealing a staggering 747 put-call ratio in Service Properties Trust (SVC). Then, we countdown the Top 10 most active names on the tape, featuring: Nike (NKE): Getting "shellacked" with a 15% drop following earnings. Micron (MU): Riding a massive 9% rollercoaster move. The "M-Tech" Strip: Heavy volume in Meta, Microsoft, and Alphabet. Tesla (TSLA) & Nvidia (NVDA): Claiming the top spots as retail traders pile into zero-day (0DTE) April Fool's expiry contracts. Note: Due to the truncated holiday week, this is our final report until Monday. Trade safe and stay tuned to the Options Insider Radio Network!

In this episode of The European Market Brief, Mark Longo is joined by Dr. Russell Rhoads (IU Kelley School of Business), Steve Sosnick (Interactive Brokers), and Matt Riley (Eurex) to dissect a rapidly shifting landscape. With the Iran conflict crossing the one-month mark, the panel explores why the "shock and awe" expectations of a quick resolution have evaporated, replaced by fears of a lingering market impact through the end of the year. Key Topics Covered: The VSTOXX 30-Handle: We haven't seen these levels in a year. Is the current spike justified, or are traders "once bitten, twice shy" after the quick recoveries of 2025? The Great Divergence: Why the U.S. and Europe are splitting on rate expectations—from "endless cuts" to potential hikes. Free Data for the "Eurex-Curious": Steve Sosnick breaks down Interactive Brokers' new initiative providing free real-time Eurex data for retail and institutional traders. Rotation vs. Repatriation: Is the "Sell America" trade real? Why investors are looking at the STOXX 600 for value and diversification away from the Mag 7. The Red Phone: The team answers listener questions on the Brent/WTI spread and whether the U.S. Midterms are actually being priced into European vol. This episode is brought to you by Eurex—the home of Euro STOXX, VSTOXX, DAX, and European rates derivatives.

The bulls are back in town! On this Tuesday, March 31, 2026 edition of The Hot Options Report, Mark Longo breaks down a high-octane session where major indices surged over 2%. We're digging into the "Lucky Seven" scan results—including Kopin Corp (KOPN), Marriott, and STX50—before diving into the massive institutional flow hitting the top of the tape. From NVIDIA's relentless volume to Meta's massive $35 move, we analyze the specific strikes and expiries that defined the day. Whether it's the "April Fools" expirations in Microsoft or the heavy call buying in Micron, find out where the smart money is positioning for the start of the new month. In this episode, we discuss: Lucky Seven Scan: Why KOPN took the top spot today. The Big Four: How META, MU, TSLA, and NVDA are dominating the total market volume. Tech Recovery: Analyzing the $11 pop in Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple's (AAPL) Buffett-fueled rally. Retail Favorites: What's happening with the high-volume flows in SoFi, Palantir (PLTR), and AMD. Find more at TheOptionsInsider.com or HotOptionsReport.com .

Can you buy a home without selling your Bitcoin? On this episode of The Crypto Rundown, host Mark Longo welcomes Josip Rupena, CEO of Milo, to explain the world of crypto-backed mortgages. We dive into how BTC and ETH holders can bridge the gap between digital assets and real estate without triggering taxable events or losing out on future appreciation. What's Inside this Episode: The Crypto Hot Seat: Josip Rupena breaks down the mechanics of the world's first crypto mortgage and how $100M+ in transactions are changing the lending game. Risk vs. Reward: How do these loans handle 60%+ drawdowns in Bitcoin? We discuss LTV (Loan-to-Value) ratios, margin calls, and custody options. Bitcoin Breakdown: A deep dive into the latest data from Amber Data. We analyze the recent BTC sell-off to $66k, shifting volatility, and why the long-term upside premium seems to be disappearing. Altcoin Universe: Quick hits on ETH flirting with the $2k level, the massive 30% correction in Circle (CRCL), and whether Doge or Shiba Inu will ever buy you a house. Links & Resources: Learn more about Milo: milo.io Get Granular Data: intelligence.amberdata.com Join the Pro Community: theoptionsinsider.com/pro

Market volatility is back as the tech sector faces a "spicy" start to the week. In today's episode, Mark Longo breaks down the massive SPX 6465/6485 0-DTE call spread that dominated the tape with over 4,300 contracts. We also dive into a brutal day for the chip sector, led by a nearly 10% sell-off in Micron (MU) and significant pullbacks in Intel (INTC) and AMD. With a shortened holiday week ahead (no trading this Friday!), we analyze where the "smart money" is positioning in SoFi, Nvidia, and Tesla. Is the retail crowd catching the falling knife in tech, or is paper selling the bounce? Highlights include: SPX: A deep dive into the top 0-DTE spread scan. MU: The aggressive turnaround after its record-breaking rally to 500. INTC: Analyzing the unusual activity in April 70 calls. NVDA & TSLA: Breaking down the massive volume at the 165 and 360 put strikes. Visit TheHotOptionsReport.com to run your own scans and stay ahead of the tape.