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Profitable Option Trading...

Building Wealth Using the Power of Credit Spread Options

July Trades Expiring 7/19/2008

The QQQQ Bear Call trade was filled this week completing an NDX Iron Condor trade that will return 6.8%. I hope to complete at least one more Iron Condor before expiration.

Trade Initiated and Filled Expires

Index

Spread Type

Initial Credit

Margin Required

Status

 Profit %

June Trades Filled and Open        

Ordered 6/15 Filled 6/16

7/19/2008 RUT

Bull Put

$35

$965

Filled and Open

3.6%

Ordered 6/15 Filled 6/16

7/19/2008 NDX

Iron Condor

$160

$2340

Filled and Open

6.8%

Ordered 6/15 Filled 6/20

7/19/2008 QQQQ

Bull Put

$10

$190

Filled and Open

5.3%

June Trades Expired Worthless 6/20/2008

All open June trades expired worthless today. This is the 5th month in a row that all trades expired worthless. I want this trend to continue so that we have a decent 30% or better return for the year.

Trade Initiated and Filled Expired

Index

Spread Type

Initial Credit

Margin Required

Status

 Profit %

June Trades Filled and Open        

Ordered 5/18 Filled 5/19

6/202008 RUT

Iron Condor

$60

$940

Expired Worthless

6.4%

Ordered 5/18 Filled 5/19

6/202008 NDX

Bull Put

$75

$2425

Expired Worthless

3.1%

Ordered 5/11 Filled 5/12

6/202008 DIA

Bull Put

$8

$192

Expired Worthless

4.2%

      Total $143 $3,557  

4.0%

5/18/2008: The 2 RUT Bull Put trades and our NDX Iron Condor expired worthless last week. This month we earned 8.7% on the NDX trade. The markets appear to be settling down to a more normal trading pattern of slowly rising. This pattern is perfect for Iron Condor trading when the trades are safe with a lot of distance. 

May Trades Expired Worthless 5/16/2008

Trade Initiated and Filled Expired

Index

Spread Type

Initial Credit

Margin Required

Status

 Profit %

May 2008              

4/26/08 and 4/27/08

5/16/2008 RUT

Bull Put

$30

$970

Expired Worthless

3.1%

4/20/08 and 4/21/08

5/16/2008 RUT

Bull Put

$30

$970

Expired Worthless

3.1%

4/30/08 and 4/21/08

5/16/2008 NDX

Iron Condor

$200

$2300

Expired Worthless

8.7%

      Total $260 $4,240  

6.1%

April Trades Expired Worthless 4/18/2008

4/20/2008: All 3 trades initiated in March and April expired worthless. Unfortunately the rollover trade which was safe until the last day before expiration was exercised for loss. Refunds for 3 months are being sent to subscribers who has this trade exercised. The rolling of trades in trouble to new risky trades will not be done anymore. Instead a much more conservative strategy will be taken to just exit the trade, assume the loss, and recover a part of this loss with a new very safe spread or Iron Condor trade expiring in the next month.

Trade Initiated and Filled Expired

Index

Spread Type

Initial Credit

Margin Required

Status

 Profit %

April 2008              

3/30/08 and 4/11/08

4/18/2008 SPX

Bull Put

$35

$965

Expired Worthless

3.6%

3/30/08 and 3/31/08

4/18/2008 NDX

Bull Put

$85

$2415

Expired Worthless

3.5%

3/30/08 and 3/3108

4/18/2008 RUT

Iron Condor

$50

$950

Expired Worthless

5.3%

      Total $170 $4,330  

3.9%

March Trades Expired Worthless 3/202008

3/21/2008: All 3 Iron Condor trades and our SPX Bear Call trade expired worthless. Even though the markets rose and fell by 200-400 points during the holding period our trades remained safe and have now expired. I am very happy with the 5.8% monthly performance.

Trade Initiated and Filled Expired

Index

Spread Type

Initial Credit

Margin Required

Status

 Profit %

March 2008              

2/27/2008-2/28

3/20/2008 NDX

Iron Condor

$165

$2335

Expired Worthless

7.1%

2/23/2008-2/25

3/20/2008 IWM

Iron Condor

$14

$186

Expired Worthless

7.5%

2/27/2008-2/28

3/20/2008 RUT

Iron Condor

$65

$935

Expired Worthless

6.9%

2/17/2008-2/19

3/20/2008 SPX

Bear Call

$30

$970

Filled and Open

3.1%

      Total $274 $4,700  

5.8%

February Trades Expired Worthless 2/15/2008

2/15/2008:  I am very pleased that the conservative trades this month all expired. These were very safe trades which is why the monthly return was 4.1% ($158/$3,842). This market is still very volatile so earning 4% is OK in my play book. My goal is 5% a month which I can achieve when completing at least 2 Iron Condor trades in a month. This month we had 1 Iron Condor trade completed.

Trade Initiated Expired

Index

Spread Type

Initial Credit

Margin Required

Status

 Profit %

February 2008            

2/3/2008

2/15/2008

NDX

Bear Call

$75

$2425

Expired Worthless

3.1%

1/28/2008

2/15/2008 IWM

Bull Put

$10

$290

Expired Worthless

3.4%

1/28/2008

2/15/2008 RUT-IC

Bull Put

$40

 

Expired Worthless

4.2%

1/19/2008

2/15/2008 RUT-IC

Bear Call

$25

$935

Filled and Open

2.6%

1/19/2008

2/15/2008 SPY

Bear Call

$8

$192

Expired Worthless

4.2%

      Total $158 $3,842  

4.1%

2008 Monthly Trade Performance:

January was my worst month ever trading credit spreads. We had to roll 2 Bull Put spreads to February but these could be at risk unless the markets start recovering when interest rates are lowered. This is not a good start to the new year because now we have to trade more conservatively with better risk management strategies to insure a loss like this is never repeated.
 

Month Winning Trades

Losing Trades

Total Trades

Winning Trades-Total All Credits per Contract

Loosing Trades-Total All Net Debits per Contract

Net For Month

Total Margin Required for per Contract

Monthly Return %

Jan 2 1 3 ($85) $550 $465 $4,415 (10.5%)
Feb 5   5 ($158)   ($158) $3,842 4.1%
Mar 4   4 ($274)   ($274) $4,700 5.7%
Apr 3   3 ($170)   ($170) $4,330 5.8%
May 3   3 ($260)   ($260) $4,240 6.1%
Jun 3   3 ($143)   ($143) $3,557 4.0%

2007 Monthly and YTD Trade Performance:

The following table summarizes the monthly trade performance for each expired month in 2007. The Total Credits, Total Net Debits and Total Margin amounts are for one contract per trade only. If you traded 10 contracts then multiply each figure by 10. For example, in October 2007 if you traded 10 contracts the total credits received would be $3,900 (10 x $390) and the total margin required to cover these trades would be $121,100 (10 x $12,110).

The YTD return of 34.4% can be calculated 2 ways: 1) The Total Net of $2,597 divided by the Total Margin of $90,563 X 12 Months = 34.4% or  2) The Total Net of $2,597 divided by the the average of the Total Margin, or $7,930 ($90,563/12) = 34.4%.

Month Winning Trades

Losing Trades

Total Trades

Winning Trades-Total All Credits

Loosing Trades-Total All Net Debits

Net For Month

Total Margin Required for Point Spreads per Contract

Monthly Return %

Jan 4 1 5 ($700) $600 ($100) $8,720 1.2%
Feb 6   6 ($160)   ($160) $6,340 2.5%
Mar 6 1 7 ($545) $635 $90 $12,430 (.07%)
Apr 4   4 ($245)   ($245) $5,755 4.2%
May 4   4 ($190)   ($190) $4,385 4.4%
Jun 3   3 ($225)   ($225) $4,275 5.3%
Jul 5   5 ($302)   ($302) $5,198 5.8%
Aug 1 3 4 ($1,065) $980 ($85) $13,235 .006%
Sep 5   5 ($390)   ($390) $9,500 4.1%
Oct 5   5 ($390)   ($390) $12,110 3.2%
Nov 4   4 ($270)   ($270) $5,290 5.1%
Dec 5   5 ($330)   ($330) $3,325 9.9%
YTD 2007 52 5 57 ($4,812) $2,215 ($2,597) $90,563 34%
YTD 2006 44 4 48 ($2,770) $220 ($2,550) $61,253 50%

2006 Monthly and YTD Trade Performance:

The following table summarizes the monthly trade performance for each expired month in 2006. The Total Credits, Total Net Debits and Total Margin amounts are for one contract per trade only. If you traded 10 contracts then multiply each figure by 10. For example, in January if you traded 10 contracts the total credits received would be $2,226 (10 x $226) and the total margin required to cover these trades would be $45,200 (10 x $4,520).

The YTD return of 50% can be calculated 2 ways: 1) The Total Net of $2,550 divided by the Total Margin of $61,253 X 12 Months = 50% or 2) The Total Net of $2,550 divided by the the average of the Total Margin, or $5,104, ($61,253/12) = 50%. .

Month Winning Trades

Losing Trades

Total Trades

Winning Trades-Total All Credits

Loosing Trades-Total All Net Debits

Net For Month

Total Margin Required for Point Spreads per Contract

Monthly Return %

Jan 3   3 ($226)   ($226) $4,520 5.0%
Feb 4   4 ($271)   ($271) $6,450 4.2%
Mar 4   4 ($215)   ($215) $5,240 4.1%
Apr 4   4 ($255)   ($255) $7,245 3.5%
May 3   3 ($175)   ($175) $2,828 6.2%
Jun 3   3 ($245)   ($245) $2,755 8.9%
Jul 4   4 ($288)   ($288) $6,720 4.3%
Aug 4   4 ($305)   ($305) $4,295 7.1%
Sep 4   4 ($305)   ($305) $4,195 7.3%
Oct 1 3 4 ($140) $195 $55 $6,080 -0.9%
Nov 4 1 5 ($230) $25 ($205) $7,020 2.9%
Dec 5   5 ($115)   ($115) $3,905 2.9%
YTD 2006 44 4 48 ($2,770) $220 ($2,550) $61,253 50%