The Options Insider Radio Network

Henry The Flowmaster Schwartz, options market analyst known for flow analytics and volume trends. He breaks down soaring options volume across single stocks, ETFs and indexes. Talks new Monday and Wednesday expirations for major names. Covers massive put activity in the MAG-10 and volatility swings that moved markets 100 handles each way.

Geopolitical tensions are back, impacting futures options markets. A staggering 57% surge in natural gas steals the spotlight, while precious metals see explosive volatility. Meanwhile, Bitcoin suffers a significant decline. The discussion heats up with the rotation from big tech to small caps influenced by shifting geopolitical headlines. A deep dive reveals heavy trading activity in zero-day Nasdaq contracts and interesting trends in put demand, particularly for March strikes. Volatility is definitely in the air!

In this episode of The Hot Options Report, Mark Longo breaks down a respectable day on the options tape, where it took over 522,000 contracts just to break into the Top 10. We dive deep into the massive retail and institutional flow hitting the tape for Tesla (TSLA) as robo-taxi hype sends shares soaring toward the key $450 level. We also analyze the fallout from Intel (INTC) earnings—why the stock is sliding in the after-hours despite a recent massive run—and look at the long-term "winner winner chicken dinner" bets being placed on Netflix (NFLX). On today's report, we cover: Tesla (TSLA): The battle for the 450 strike and the massive volume leading the tape. Intel (INTC): Post-earnings breakdown—why the Jan 60 calls are feeling the pain. Netflix (NFLX): Huge size moving in the September 100 calls. Is paper betting on a long-term recovery? Meta (META): A massive $34 rally—is the "bargain" hunt officially on? Nvidia (NVDA) & AMD: Tracking the semiconductor giants as they navigate pre-earnings positioning. Micron (MU) & Apple (AAPL): Checking the pulse of the tech heavyweights as they fight for gains. Whether you're tracking the VIX or hunting for the next big move in Mag 7 options, get the data you need to "kick the tires and light the fires" in your trading account. Get more at TheHotOptionsReport.com for the best free options data in the game.

Mark Longo breaks down a tumultuous week 3 of 2026 as geopolitical tensions over Greenland drive massive futures volume. The first three weeks of 2026 have been a geopolitical whirlwind. From "snatch and grab" maneuvers in Venezuela to carrier strike fleets moving toward Iran, and now a brewing trade war over Greenland, the futures markets are lighting up with volatility. Mark Longo takes you into the trading pit for a breakdown of what's limit up and what's crashing. Inside the Trading Pit: The Metals Super-Cycle: Silver continues its rampage, up another 7.6% this week after a 25% gain last week. Is it unstoppable? Energy Update: An arctic polar vortex is sending Natural Gas soaring over 21% this week. Meanwhile, Heating Oil jumps 6.25% as the cold snap hits the Midwest. Lithium's Wild Ride: Up nearly 11% this week and a staggering 42.4% year-to-date. Mark explores what's driving this electric move. The Crypto Slide: Bitcoin and Ether futures both outpaced the downside this week, dropping 6% and 9% respectively. Ag & Softs: Cocoa continues to get cheaper for your breakfast table, down nearly 15% this week and 26% for the year. Volume King: The Nasdaq 100 Micro steals the throne with over 2.1 million contracts on the tape. Watch the Year-to-Date Leaders: We analyze the rotation out of large-cap tech and the surprising strength in commodities like Palladium and Platinum. 0:00 – Introduction: 19 Years of the Network! 1:30 – Geopolitical Update: Venezuela, Iran, and Greenland 3:45 – Top 5 Gainers: Silver, Nat Gas, and the "Shiny Stuff" 6:10 – Top 5 Losers: The Crypto Pain & Cocoa's Collapse 9:20 – Volume Report: Nasdaq Micros vs. The 10-Year Note 11:50 – Year-to-Date Movers: Lithium's 42% Rampage 14:00 – Closing Remarks: Join us for This Week in Futures Options Brought to you by tastytrade.com/podcasts

The options tape was lighting up on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as the market clawed back from a bruising session. Tech roared back to life, led by a historic run in Intel (INTC) and a massive upside move in AMD. Mark Longo breaks down the top 10 most active names and the "Hot Options" driving the flow. On Today's Report: The Semiconductor Warpath: Micron (MU) continues its rampage, closing up 6.6% as traders pile into the 400 calls. Intel's Epic Run: INTC surges nearly 12% to close at $54.25. We look at the "outlandish" March 60 calls that aren't looking so crazy anymore. AMD Rocking: Up nearly 8% today, AMD put up 1.1 million contracts. Are the 250 calls too rich for your blood? The Tesla Appropriate Strike: TSLA climbs back over $430 on the heels of Greenland headlines. We look at the massive paper in the 420 calls. Nvidia Retakes the Crown: NVDA is back at #1 with 2.38 million contracts. Will the 185s hold through the end of the week? Plus: Analysis of flow in Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), Palantir (PLTR), Apple (AAPL), and Netflix (NFLX). Get the Data: Don't just listen to the report—see the data yourself at HotOptionsReport.com . Kick the tires and light the fires on your own trading account.

In this episode, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli take a nostalgic trip back to the 80s to become the Masters of the Volatility Universe. Whether you're a "Prince Adam" of the markets or just starting your basic training, this episode is a comprehensive refresher on the most important force in options pricing: Volatility. The Drill Instructors break down: Volatility as the Speedometer: Why direction matters less than velocity when measuring vol. Realized vs. Historical Volatility: Understanding the concrete, backward-looking data of price swings. Implied Volatility (IV): Why Mark calls it the "Fudge Factor" of the options market and how it acts as a forward-looking forecast. The Volatility Risk Premium (VRP): Why options are often "overpriced" and how premium sellers harvest that edge. Supply and Demand: Dan's take on why IV is often more about market noise than actual future predictions. 2026 VIX Prognostications: Where will the "Fear Gauge" end the year? Dan puts his official number on the record.

The "Greenland Effect" took hold of the tape this Tuesday as geopolitical friction sent the markets into a sea of red. In this episode of The Hot Options Report, host Mark Longo analyzes a high-stakes session where safe-haven scrambles and tariff threats dominated the flow. While the top 10 required nearly half a million contracts just to break in, the real story was the massive retreat in semi-conductors and tech giants. Inside the Top 10 Options Breakdown: Nvidia (NVDA): The undisputed king puts up exactly 2.00 million contracts as trade war fears drive a 4.5% slide. Are traders loading up on the $180 calls for a late-week bounce? Netflix (NFLX): "Rolling the bones" ahead of earnings. We track the massive 100-strike call volume and the immediate $4 after-hours drop following the bell. Tesla (TSLA): A rough 4.2% haircut. We analyze the heavy activity in the now-in-the-money 425 puts as the 500 level fades into the rearview. The "Greenland" Laggards: Why Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) faced a straight drumming, while Micron (MU) and AMD briefly managed to find some green on the screen. Intel (INTC): A surprise move in the March $55 calls—is paper looking for a long-term overwrite or a massive recovery breakout? Resources: Get more options data: TheHotOptionsReport.com

Join Mark Longo for the Friday, January 16th edition of the Hot Options Report as he breaks down a "banger" of a day in the options market. On a day where it took a massive 779,000 contracts just to break into the Top 10, the tape was dominated by explosive moves in semiconductors and some truly wild corporate "shenanigans." Today's Top Options Trading Stories: The Wolf Speed Phenomenon: Ticker WOLF shocks the market by kicking Nvidia and Tesla to the curb for the #1 spot. With 3.44 million contracts traded, the action was fueled by corporate restructuring fallout and a massive 1.14 million block of Jan 2 Puts. * The Semiconductor Surge: It was a banner day for chips. Micron (MU) popped nearly 8%, SMCI rallied 11%, and AMD saw heavy volume despite a late-day fade. We look at the strikes that paid off and the ones that left traders sweating. Tech Titan Tumble: Major names like Apple (AAPL) and Palantir (PLTR) came under pressure, leading to heavy premium-selling activity in near-term weekly options. Tesla & Nvidia Update: Even with massive volume, these perennial leaders fell to #2 and #3. We analyze the heavy interest in Nvidia's 190 calls and Tesla's 440 strike as traders fought for position. Hot Trade Insights: Micron (MU): A happy day for the 360 call buyers who caught the $26 surge. SMCI: High-velocity trading in the 30.5 calls as the stock cleared $32. Intel (INTC): A deep dive into the 50 strike that paper has been watching for weeks. For even more deep-dive data into today's options tape, visit TheHotOptionsReport.com .

In this episode, Mark Longo is joined by Dr VIX Russell Rhoads and Andrew Giovinazzi (The Rock Lobster) to conduct a "post-mortem" on 2025 and break down the surprising trends defining the start of 2026. The team dives deep into the VIX/SPX correlation breakdown, exploring why the traditional inverse relationship failed many traders last year. Russell brings the hard data, revealing how 2025 nearly set a record for the highest inverse correlation—making diversification more difficult than ever. Topics covered in this episode: Volatility Review: A look at the "yo-yo" week in the S&P and the recent firmness in VIX Cash. The Correlation Myth: Why "buying the dip" worked but "shorting vol" was a losing battle in 2025. VIX Term Structure: Analysis of the Jan/Feb futures and the 100% premium to realized volatility. VIX Options Flow: Breaking down the massive activity in Jan 17 calls and the persistent "magic" of the 15 puts. The Crystal Ball: The team places their bets for next week's VIX close and debuts their 2026 year-end predictions.

Is Silver the new meme stock? Are Small Caps finally ready to lead the pack? Join Mark Longo of The Options Insider and special guest Rich Excell from the University of Illinois (and the Stay Vigilant Substack) as they break down a historic week in the futures options markets. From parabolic moves in metals to a massive rotation within the equity space, the guys analyze the data you can't find anywhere else. Inside This Episode: The Great Equity Rotation: Why tech is taking a backseat as the Russell 2000 (RUT) explodes. Is this the "mean reversion" trade of the decade? Silver's Parabolic Run: Silver is up over 20% in a week. We look at the "price insensitive" buying and the wild 120/125 call spreads hitting the tape. Treasury Volatility Collapse: With Treasury price vol hitting anemic lows, Rich explains why he's looking at asymmetric put butterflies to hedge against a yield backup. Movers & Shakers: A 70/30 split to the green side at CME Group this week. We analyze the carnage in Nat Gas versus the "heater" in Platinum and Soybean Oil. Crypto Divergence: Why the tech use cases for Ethereum and Solana are starting to outpace Bitcoin in the eyes of the market. Technical Deep Dives: Skew Analysis: Why silver calls remain bid despite the massive price surge. RUT Options: Analyzing the heavy flow in the March 2500/2400 put spreads. CVOL Insights: Tracking the surge in Metals vol versus the "nothing burger" in Treasury yield vol. Connect with the Show: Follow Rich Excell: @ExcellRichard or his Substack, Stay Vigilant . Track the Data: CME Group QuikStrike/TWIFO Go Pro: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro