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Options Corner: Alphabet's Slow Start Offers A Discount For Bullish Contrarians - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Benzinga· 2026-02-18 20:48
Core Viewpoint - There is a potential opportunity to acquire GOOGL stock at a relative discount, as indicated by the volatility skew in the options market [1] Volatility Analysis - Implied volatility (IV) across the options chain shows a relatively flat skew near the spot price, suggesting calm market conditions despite broader concerns about artificial intelligence [2][3] - The put IV is gradually rising towards lower strike boundaries, but remains lower than call IV, indicating a lack of priority for downside protection [3] Call Options Insight - The upper strike boundaries exhibit a flat skew with a tight IV spread between puts and calls, suggesting that call options may be undervalued on a volatility basis, potentially incentivizing bullish positions [4] Expected Trading Parameters - According to the Black-Scholes model, GOOGL stock is expected to trade within a range of approximately $285 to $323 over the next 30 days, with a 68% probability of falling within this range [5][6] - The expected price movement calculation is based on market pricing of uncertainty, which may not always be accurate [7] Markov Property Application - The Markov property indicates that future stock movements depend on the current state, with recent trading patterns suggesting a unique market condition [10][11] - Over the next five weeks, GOOGL stock is projected to land between $295 and $325, with the highest probability density between $301 and $315, providing a narrower target than the Black-Scholes dispersion [14] Trading Strategy - A bull call spread strategy involving strikes at $310 and $315, expiring on March 20, is considered attractive, requiring GOOGL stock to rise above $315 for maximum payout potential of nearly 144% [15]
Calm Waters for Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) Stock Present a Tempting Options Trade
Yahoo Finance· 2026-02-16 18:30
Group 1 - The core sentiment around GOOGL stock indicates a potential contrarian opportunity despite recent declines, as sophisticated market participants appear relaxed about downside risks [1][14] - The implied volatility (IV) for options on GOOGL is relatively stable, suggesting calm market conditions, with put IV priced higher but the spread to call IV being modest [2][3] - Recent options flow shows a negative net trade sentiment for GOOGL, primarily driven by institutional investors, indicating a cautious approach to risk management [5][4] Group 2 - GOOGL stock has received a 56% Buy rating according to the Barchart Technical Opinion indicator, despite disappointing performance this month, which has seen a decline of approximately 10% [6][13] - The Black-Scholes model forecasts that GOOGL stock could range between $286.45 and $325.59 by the March 20 expiration, reflecting a one standard deviation move [7][8] - A specific trading idea involves a 310/315 bull call spread expiring March 20, which could yield over 108% maximum payout if GOOGL stock rises above the $315 strike [15]
The Saturday Spread: Maximizing First-Order Analytics to Help Even the Odds
Yahoo Finance· 2026-02-14 15:15
分组1 - Options trading on the retail side focuses on narrowing uncertainty to improve success rates, akin to eliminating false answers on a test [1] - Volatility skew is a key mechanism for traders, allowing them to gauge smart money positioning through the premium structure of implied volatility (IV) [2] - The curvature of volatility skew across strike prices provides insights into hedging urgency among smart money traders [3] 分组2 - The Black-Scholes-derived Expected Move calculator, combined with IV fluctuations, helps predict where a target security is likely to land, with a 68% probability of landing within one standard deviation from the spot price [4] - The combination of skew and Black-Scholes assists in identifying distress signals and establishing a search radius for further analysis [5] - Cipher Mining (CIFR) is positioned in the cryptocurrency mining sector, facing challenges due to the current blockchain ecosystem but may benefit from a recent resurgence in the digital asset space [6] 分组3 - For the March 20 expiration date, downside hedging activity appears relaxed, with both put and call IV rising in lower strike price boundaries, indicating a lack of urgency in the upper boundaries [7]
Options Corner: Intensified Fear Over Microsoft May Incentivize The Opposite Trade - Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)
Benzinga· 2026-02-12 20:41
Core Viewpoint - Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) has underperformed compared to other tech giants, particularly since November 2022, with investor Chamath Palihapitiya highlighting the lack of returns from its investment in OpenAI [1] Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Sentiment - MSFT stock has been the worst performer among hyperscalers, indicating a potential disconnect between market expectations and actual performance [1] - Lowered expectations may lead to a disproportionate rise in MSFT stock with any positive news, suggesting that growth opportunities still exist [2] - The current volatility skew indicates a strong preference for downside protection among investors, reflecting cautious sentiment towards MSFT [3][4] Group 2: Trading Parameters and Predictions - The Black-Scholes model suggests that MSFT stock is expected to trade within a certain range, with a 68% probability of staying within one standard deviation from the current price over the next 36 days [6][7] - Recent trading patterns show only one up week in the past five weeks, indicating a downward trend that could influence future stock movements [12] - A probabilistic forecast estimates that MSFT stock will likely trade between $402 and $423, with a peak probability near $414 [15] Group 3: Trading Strategy - A proposed trading strategy involves a 410/415 bull call spread expiring on March 20, requiring MSFT stock to rise above the $415 strike for a potential maximum payout of over 117% [16] - The breakeven point for this trade is set at $412.30, enhancing the trade's credibility despite being a contrarian bet against prevailing market sentiment [17]
How Volatility Skew Could Be Favorably Mispricing Expand Energy (EXE) Call Options
Yahoo Finance· 2026-01-22 14:15
Core Insights - Expand Energy (EXE) has shown resilience amidst market fluctuations, with its stock rising nearly 8% in the last five sessions, supported by analyst recommendations, positioning it as a 'Strong Buy' candidate [1] - The underlying natural gas pricing may be volatile, but strong demand for power generation is expected to bolster the company's performance [1] Options Flow Analysis - The options flow screener indicates a bullish sentiment towards EXE, with net trade sentiment at $951,000 against a total gross bullish volume of $988,500, suggesting market makers anticipate an increase in stock value [2] - The largest transactions in the options flow were for debit-based calls, indicating that investors are making directional bets on EXE stock [3] Volatility and Market Sentiment - A volatility skew analysis shows higher implied volatility for puts compared to calls, particularly for near-term expirations, indicating that traders are willing to pay more for downside protection [4] - The natural gas market's instability and geopolitical factors contribute to cautious sentiment among traders regarding EXE stock, which has only gained about 2% over the past year despite its recent performance [5] Price Expectations - According to the Black-Scholes-derived Expected Move calculator, EXE stock is projected to range between $101.94 and $117.07, suggesting a potential for upward movement within one standard deviation of price volatility [6]
Rising Crypto Sentiment Could Make Cipher Mining (CIFR) a Strong Bullish Options Trade
Yahoo Finance· 2026-01-19 18:30
Group 1 - Cipher Mining (CIFR) stock has experienced a significant decline of 24% since its closing high of $24.71 on November 5, but has recently shown strong performance with a nearly 16% increase in the past five sessions, indicating a potential recovery in the cryptocurrency sector [1] - The options market indicates a shift in sentiment towards bullish net transactions for CIFR stock, suggesting potential for further upside [2][3] - Total market capitalization of all blockchain assets is around $3.1 trillion, with a recent resurgence of greed in the crypto market reflected in positive options flow data for CIFR stock [5] Group 2 - Implied volatility (IV) data suggests that CIFR stock may experience a significant price swing for the February 20 options chain, with a projected range between $14.55 and $23.05, indicating a symmetric high-low spread of 22.61% [6] - The Black-Scholes model, while a standard for pricing derivatives, may not provide optimal forward probabilities for CIFR stock, highlighting the need for alternative analytical frameworks [7]
Down 11% Last Week, Should You Buy the Robinhood (HOOD) Discount? Here’s What You Need to Know
Yahoo Finance· 2025-11-24 18:30
Core Viewpoint - Robinhood (HOOD) has experienced a significant return of nearly 188% since January, but recent volatility in the AI and cryptocurrency sectors has raised concerns about its stock performance [1][2]. Stock Performance - In the last five sessions, HOOD stock has dipped 11%, and it is down approximately 16% over the past month [1]. Market Sentiment - Despite the recent downturn, there is a case for optimism as cryptocurrencies have shown the potential for decentralized economies, suggesting a possible recovery [2]. - The options market indicates a net trade sentiment of about $2.08 million above parity, but this is modest compared to a gross bearish sentiment of $7.703 million [4]. Cultural Impact - Robinhood has become a cultural icon, introducing millions to investing during the COVID-19 crisis, which may support its long-term viability [2]. Options Trading Insights - The options flow for HOOD last week totaled $940,400, which is not remarkable given the stock's size and popularity [4]. - The implied volatility (IV) used by options traders can be misleading as it is based on the Black-Scholes model, which may not accurately reflect HOOD's unique market conditions [6]. Risk-Reward Profile - Overall, HOOD's equity shows a positive bias when considering its price behaviors since the IPO, which helps in understanding its risk-reward profile [5].