Options

The VIX, otherwise known as the investor fear gauge, kicked 64% higher this past week in the largest one-week jump in the history of the volatility index. Read more

A synthetic short call straddle has two components: The purchase of 100 shares of the underlying security; and the sale of two at-the-money calls. Read more

A synthetic long call straddle is an appropriate strategy to employ as a “repair” for a short stock position gone awry. Read more

Brazilian stocks have taken a beating since mid-2014. But the precipitous decline has led to a wealth of investment opportunities. Read more

A synthetic long put straddle involves the purchase of 100 shares of the underlying security and two long at-the-money puts. Read more

A synthetic short put is constructed by purchasing 100 shares of the underlying stock and selling an at-the-money call against it. Read more

This sector looks enticing for a contrarian investor with a long-term time horizon. Read more

A synthetic long put is created by shorting 100 shares of the underlying security and purchasing a call option against the sale. Read more

Why would you ever buy a stock based on an analyst’s price target that has a chance of success of only 35%, 5% or even 1%? It’s pure insanity. Read more