On 2/1 with GME stock at $225 we wrote about how options dealer flows could result in the stock dropping to the $60 strike. We highlighted this strike because it was where the largest concentration of options were placed (from a gamma perspective). You can see that is is precisely what has played out: This […]
Market Analysis
Nomura’s McElligott: ‘The VIX Is Broken — Again’
From Heisneberg: “From a Vol market perspective, the issue is that the VIX is broken — again,” Nomura’s Charlie McElligott said Monday, in one section of a sweeping note documenting recent dynamics and detailing what a trio of backtests might foretell for markets on the heels of last week’s somewhat deranged developments. It’s “all demand” […]
“Hard Purge” – Nomura Warns The Vol Market Signals Risk Of “Outright Crash Down”
From ZH As we detailed earlier, futures were down quite sharply to start the overnight session only to stage a significant recovery to current highs (perhaps on the back of a lack of glaring clearing issues… for now… appearing over the weekend). However, as SpotGamma notes, despite this move higher the options structure deteriorated, and we will […]
GME Gamma Trap
The GME squeeze is struggling a bit today as the stock is off $96 (30%) to $225. We think this could be the result of put buying in the stock. Option implied volatility has surged recently, sending the price of call options massively higher. You can see this reflected in the graph below. For example […]
The Great Silver Gamma Squeeze
Silver prices were up over 5% last week as WallStreetBets switched its focus from stocks like GME and AMC, to silver and stocks like SLV and PSLV. As you can see in the chart below SLV surged on Thursday directly to the $25 strike, only to pin that level into Fridays close. $25 just happens […]
Weaponized Gamma Reloaded
The latest options data revealed that equity option call buying surged this week, blowing out the previous record week. Shown in the chart below is the total number of contracts bought to open netted against contracts sold to close. This suggests that traders on net did not elect to close out of their long calls […]
When YOLO goes “YOL-Oh No!”
Summary: Issue: SpotGamma believes that current markets reflect a great amount of risk and face the prospect of a violent drawdown. This is due to the following: Hedging: Low levels of options-based hedging. Short-Selling: Low levels of stock shorting. Speculation: High levels of margin used to buy stocks. Remedies: SpotGamma levels continue to be […]
Call Walls & SG Combo Strikes
Lets all Sell Puts?
Investors have turned to put options as a way to generate income. Strategically this can be a great strategy, but what does it mean when the MAJORITY of put options are SOLD instead of BOUGHT? In other words: the majority of traders are now using put options as income as opposed to insurance. The circled […]
1/20/20 Nomura Update
From ZH: Earlier today we discussed last week’s “very large” options expiration, which as SpotGamma calculated sparked a ~50% reduction in single stock gamma, which on one hand has left markets vulnerable to short-term volatility but on the other – as Nomura’s Charlie McElligott poetically put it – sparked a “gamma unchlenching” as evidenced by […]