• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Investing With Options

Become a Better Options Trader

RTH Vertical Spread Alternative

January 7, 2009 By Steven Place

I mentioned earlier today a bearish spread on RTH that you could implement, but there were some near-term risks. Since you were selling puts there would be some directional risk until the theta (time-decay) caught up with you. So instead, I picked out an ATM call vertical that I sold:

Buy RTH Feb 80 Call 3.55

Sell RTH Feb 75 Call 6.30

Here's the risk profile for a single vertical:

This put me at a $275 credit per vertical opened, and my total risk is 225. You'll notice when you do a lot of vertical spreads is the relationship between risk/reward and the statistical percentage of success. Since my risk/reward is near parity, that means I have about a 50% statistical chance of success with this trade. Since I believe that the etf is headed down in the next month or so, I felt there was an edge there to take and my odds were much better.

Risk management is pretty straightforward: your risk is capped, but I'll exit the position if a short squeeze commences. It will be a discretionary exit based on momentum and the volume behind the move. It's also a good portfolio hedge if you've got a consumer-heavy portfolio.

Free Iron Condor Toolkit

Want to learn how to beat the market without needing to time the market?

Do you desire a way to earn aggressive returns without staring at screens for six hours a day?

Get this free iron condor toolkit that will show you how this trade works in the real world.

Download the Toolkit Here

Primary Sidebar

Resources


Option Trading Basics
Income Trading

Recent Posts

  • How I Profited From A One-Day Pullback In Tech Stocks
  • 3 Option Trades for CCIV
  • Time to Call a Top in Solar
  • Winning In Both Directions
  • Big Water, Small Hose

Get The Options Trading Training You Need.

See All IWO Trading Courses!

© 2023InvestingWithOptions | Disclaimer | Financial Disclaimer | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy