The Options Insider Radio Network

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.

Is the treasury market the new "war bond" front? As conflict-driven volatility continues to grip the markets, the Option Block panel gathers to break down a Monday session defined by crushing vol, shifting correlations, and a flight to safety. Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw of St. Charles Wealth Management and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi from Option Pit to discuss whether we've entered a "sell the rally" regime reminiscent of the 1990s. In this episode, the team dives into: The Trading Block: Why the "Grand Conciliatory Gesture" rally failed early, and why small caps are getting rotated into oblivion. The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Palantir (PLTR), a strange call play in Zoom Info (GTM), and a massive historical "home run" trade in Bilibili (BILI). The Strategy Block: How to play a 30 VIX using covered calls—should you sell at-the-money for premium or go further out-of-the-money for the eventual relief rally? Around the Block: Predictions on the "Strait of Hormuz" effect and whether the Fed has officially entered "punt mode" for the rest of 2026.

The trading week wraps up with a "blood red" screen, but high volatility means high volume on the options tape! In this episode of The Hot Options Report, Mark Longo breaks down a spicy session where it took over 577,000 contracts just to crack the Top 10. We dive deep into the massive activity across the M-Tech names and beyond, including: The Big Sell-Off: Why Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft are facing a rough slog year-to-date. The Nvidia Dominance: A look at the nearly 300,000 puts that lit up the #1 spot on our countdown. Tesla's Slide: With the 400 strike in the rearview mirror, we track the aggressive action in the 360 puts. Sweating the Premiums: Why sellers of Micron and Apple calls had to hold their breath through intraday spikes. Overnight Move Scan: A quick look at the top movers hitting the scanners at TheHotOptionsReport.com , including HWGG, RNMNS, and AGX. Don't miss the data-driven breakdown of where "Paper" was betting today and which trades went out worthless versus those that paid off at the wire.

The "warm turns" mid-week as the post-Iran conflict pattern continues to haunt the markets. In this episode, Mark Longo, Mark Sebastian, and Dr. Russell Rhoads break down why the VIX is finally showing its teeth and whether the 30 handle is the new normal. Inside this episode: The Volatility Review: A deep dive into the "Weekend Trade" dynamics, the spike in VVIX, and why the "bus drivers" of this market—Oil and Bonds—are screaming for attention. The Looming Specters: Analysis of the OECD's revised inflation forecasts and why the "R-word" (Recession) is starting to echo across Europe and the US. VIX Options Insight: Are the 15 puts dead? We look at the massive flow into April 20 and 19 puts, and the debut of some "psychologically relevant" strikes. Russell's Weekly Rundown: Dr. VIX explores the "most important election of our lifetime" trade and highlights a rare appearance of the April 39 calls. ETP Check-in: The shifting liquidity from UVXY to UVIX and how to manage the "ulcer index" in a backwardation environment. Download the Options Insider Mobile App today on iTunes and Google Play to stay ahead of the curve. Go to https//:tastytrade.com/podcasts to learn about tastytrade.