Group 1 - The Federal Reserve cut its key federal funds rate by 0.25% to a range of 3.5%-3.75%, with projections indicating only one more cut in 2026 due to slowing job growth and persistent inflation [1] - Following the interest rate cut, stocks surged, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 reaching six-week and five-week highs, respectively [1] Group 2 - In unusual options activity, the top 25 ETF put options by volume-to-open-interest ratios showed significant interest, particularly in the iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) and the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) [2] - Small-cap stocks, represented by IWM, have performed strongly, with an increase of 8.15% since November 21, and an 88% outperformance compared to the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) over the same period [2] Group 3 - IWM had three active put options with volume-to-open-interest ratios above 10, indicating notable trading activity despite a bearish put/call open interest ratio of 2.44 [3] - The Jan. 16/2026 $243 strike put option for IWM had a volume of 57,033, which is 14.02 times the open interest, highlighting significant market interest [4] Group 4 - The covered strangle strategy combines a Covered Call and a Cash-Secured Put, allowing traders to generate income while managing exposure to the underlying asset [5] - This strategy is not solely focused on income generation; it also provides a systematic approach to managing exposure, allowing for increased long exposure at lower prices if the underlying asset falls, or trimming exposure and realizing gains if it rises [6][7]

Market Overview - Major indices experienced losses, with the Russell 2000 declining by 1.86% [1] - Nasdaq has lost 2.8% in the first four days of the week, with futures indicating potential further losses [1] Employment Data - Job cuts in October reached 153,074, the highest for the month since 2003, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas [2] - This data suggests a 66% probability that the Federal Reserve will reduce the federal funds rate by 0.25 basis points in December [2] Inflation and Consumer Sentiment - Inflation remains persistent, leading to the possibility that the Fed may delay rate cuts until 2026 [3] - The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index for November is expected to be slightly lower at 53.0, marking one of the weakest figures in five years [3] Options Market Activity - Options market volume reached 66.26 million, 15% above the average daily volume, with the top 100 stocks accounting for 79% of this volume [4] - Calls made up 58% of the options volume, while puts accounted for 42% [4] - Unusual options activity included 1,264 instances, with Nexgen Energy's Dec. 19 $45 call showing a Vol/OI ratio of 93.74, indicating investor uncertainty [4] ETF Insights - The Invesco Nasdaq QQQ ETF (QQQ) had the highest Vol/OI ratio at 119.52, with a volume of 12,072 for the Nov. 10 $615 call [5] - Focus is on the Sept. 18/2026 $800 QQQ call, which had a volume of 5,014, 11.32 times the open interest [5]