Whether you believe the market will go up, down, or sideways from here, there is an option strategy for you.
More and more investors are using options in their trading as a way to beat the market.In fact, the number of options contracts traded has soared over the past 10 years.
Whether that’s because of the market’s volatility or in spite of it, options can provide staying power.
Plus, options are flexible. You don’t need a lot of money to get started. And it’s a lot easier than you might think.
Flexibility
One of the key advantages with options is you can make money in any market direction. You can make money if a stock goes up, down, or sideways. And with some strategies, you can even be wrong on a stock’s direction and still make money with an option.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can just close your eyes and pick anything. But it does mean that you can make money in virtually any market condition – even when you’re unsure what the market will do.
Continued….
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+132% in 29 Days… And Lots More to Come
Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras predicts the S&P 500 will double within the next 5 years. But he has a unique approach to help you more than double your portfolio in this soaring market.
You’re invited to see the simple yet high-powered approach Kevin has used to close recent winners such as +106.5%, +110.6%, and +132.1% in just a matter of weeks. In addition to the massive profit potential, these trades actually reduce your risk. They’re ideal for today’s market conditions.
See the trades right now >>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leverage
Another advantage with options is leverage. You can get started in options with only a fraction of the money you would normally have to invest to get into the actual stock. And many option strategies come with a guaranteed limited risk.
It’s these advantages, and more, that can make options a perfect addition to someone’s portfolio.
What’s interesting, however, is that even though the popularity of options has soared, they are still not as well known or understood as much as stocks. But they should be.
Bullish
If you’re bullish on a stock, you can buy a call option and make money as it goes up.
Momentum stocks and Growth stocks are probably the best kinds of stocks to use for this. These are stocks that are on the move with some of the most explosive upside potential.
When buying call options you need to be right on the direction of the trade as well as the time allotted for it to move. Add in the Zacks #1 Rank and these are some of the likeliest candidates to profit with this strategy.
Bearish
If you’re bearish, you can buy a put option and make money as the price goes lower.
Look for stocks trading at excessive valuations. Focus in on the ones with downward earnings estimate revisions. And if they are below their major moving averages like the 50-day and 200-day moving average, even better.
With put options, direction and time are important as well. Stocks with a Zacks Rank of #4 or #5 will typically underperform the market over the short-term which is perfect for this strategy.
Big Move in Either Direction
If you believe a big move could occur in either direction, but you’re not sure which way, you can make money with a straddle or a strangle. This entails buying both a call and a put at the same time.
One of the best times to use this strategy is before an earnings announcement, or an important event. And some of the best stocks for this option strategy are high beta stocks. These are stocks that can move big, and that’s exactly what you want to see happen with this kind of strategy.
Once again, in order for a stock to make a big move, there usually needs to be a catalyst. One of the most reliable catalysts out there for big moves (up or down) is earnings reports. If you also take a look at the stock’s ‘earnings uncertainty’, you have the potential for the kind of volatility to make a strategy like this work.
Slower, Moderate Move
If you’re expecting a stock to go up or down, but you expect the move to be moderate or slower, then spreads are a great strategy for this.
For example, a bull call spread involves buying a nearby strike and selling a farther out one. If the stock goes up, but slowly, the nearby call you bought should increase in value, in spite of some time decay loss. But the call option you wrote will benefit from time decay, thus making the spread more profitable than had you only purchased a call.
Value style stocks and even Growth & Income stocks can produce some good picks for a bull call spread strategy. Stocks expected to move higher, but maybe not with a big splash. Zacks Rank #2’s and Zacks Rank #3’s are good stocks to consider for this strategy.
Plenty of Options for Profit
These are just some of the ways to use options to boost your returns. And there are many more we didn’t cover.
As you can see, options give the investor flexibility. There are numerous ways to make money in the market – no matter which direction it’s headed. You don’t always have to wait for a bull market to make money, because a down or sideways market can be just as profitable.
Want to take advantage of these and other profit opportunities? I invite you to look at the recommendation service I am directing: Zacks Options Trader.
It takes the guesswork out of options trading because I do all the research for you and present it in simple language with easy-to-understand signals.
Whether you're new to options trading or a seasoned pro, I’ll walk you through each trade step-by-step as we take a unique approach to some of the most popular options strategies. We’ll also dive into other strategies that are almost unknown except among professional investors.
This portfolio has generated some big winners recently, including +106.5%, +110.6%, and +132.1% in as little as 29 days.
On Tuesday morning, I’ll be adding a brand-new trade that could be just as profitable – and you can be among the first Zacks members to get in on it.
When you check out Options Trader, you can also download our just-released 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days report. This Special Report reveals 7 stocks our team of experts believe will significantly outperform the market in June. They are handpicked from the proven list of Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys as most likely for immediate breakout.
I encourage you to check out Options Trader right away. Adding options to your trading arsenal can help you maximize your profits, cut back on your risk, and trade your favorite stocks for just pennies on the dollar.
But don’t delay. This opportunity is only available until midnight Monday, May 27.
See my option trades now>>
Thanks and good trading.
Kevin
Kevin Matras, Executive Vice President, is our world-class research expert who has developed more than 30 market-beating strategies using the Zacks Rank. He also directs our service that combines the Zacks Rank with the best options strategies for today’s uncertain market, Zacks Options Trader.
Image: Bigstock
How To Profit in Today's Uncertain Market
Whether you believe the market will go up, down, or sideways from here, there is an option strategy for you.
More and more investors are using options in their trading as a way to beat the market.In fact, the number of options contracts traded has soared over the past 10 years.
Whether that’s because of the market’s volatility or in spite of it, options can provide staying power.
Plus, options are flexible. You don’t need a lot of money to get started. And it’s a lot easier than you might think.
Flexibility
One of the key advantages with options is you can make money in any market direction. You can make money if a stock goes up, down, or sideways. And with some strategies, you can even be wrong on a stock’s direction and still make money with an option.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can just close your eyes and pick anything. But it does mean that you can make money in virtually any market condition – even when you’re unsure what the market will do.
Continued….
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+132% in 29 Days… And Lots More to Come
Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras predicts the S&P 500 will double within the next 5 years. But he has a unique approach to help you more than double your portfolio in this soaring market.
You’re invited to see the simple yet high-powered approach Kevin has used to close recent winners such as +106.5%, +110.6%, and +132.1% in just a matter of weeks. In addition to the massive profit potential, these trades actually reduce your risk. They’re ideal for today’s market conditions.
See the trades right now >>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Leverage
Another advantage with options is leverage. You can get started in options with only a fraction of the money you would normally have to invest to get into the actual stock. And many option strategies come with a guaranteed limited risk.
It’s these advantages, and more, that can make options a perfect addition to someone’s portfolio.
What’s interesting, however, is that even though the popularity of options has soared, they are still not as well known or understood as much as stocks. But they should be.
Bullish
If you’re bullish on a stock, you can buy a call option and make money as it goes up.
Momentum stocks and Growth stocks are probably the best kinds of stocks to use for this. These are stocks that are on the move with some of the most explosive upside potential.
When buying call options you need to be right on the direction of the trade as well as the time allotted for it to move. Add in the Zacks #1 Rank and these are some of the likeliest candidates to profit with this strategy.
Bearish
If you’re bearish, you can buy a put option and make money as the price goes lower.
Look for stocks trading at excessive valuations. Focus in on the ones with downward earnings estimate revisions. And if they are below their major moving averages like the 50-day and 200-day moving average, even better.
With put options, direction and time are important as well. Stocks with a Zacks Rank of #4 or #5 will typically underperform the market over the short-term which is perfect for this strategy.
Big Move in Either Direction
If you believe a big move could occur in either direction, but you’re not sure which way, you can make money with a straddle or a strangle. This entails buying both a call and a put at the same time.
One of the best times to use this strategy is before an earnings announcement, or an important event. And some of the best stocks for this option strategy are high beta stocks. These are stocks that can move big, and that’s exactly what you want to see happen with this kind of strategy.
Once again, in order for a stock to make a big move, there usually needs to be a catalyst. One of the most reliable catalysts out there for big moves (up or down) is earnings reports. If you also take a look at the stock’s ‘earnings uncertainty’, you have the potential for the kind of volatility to make a strategy like this work.
Slower, Moderate Move
If you’re expecting a stock to go up or down, but you expect the move to be moderate or slower, then spreads are a great strategy for this.
For example, a bull call spread involves buying a nearby strike and selling a farther out one. If the stock goes up, but slowly, the nearby call you bought should increase in value, in spite of some time decay loss. But the call option you wrote will benefit from time decay, thus making the spread more profitable than had you only purchased a call.
Value style stocks and even Growth & Income stocks can produce some good picks for a bull call spread strategy. Stocks expected to move higher, but maybe not with a big splash. Zacks Rank #2’s and Zacks Rank #3’s are good stocks to consider for this strategy.
Plenty of Options for Profit
These are just some of the ways to use options to boost your returns. And there are many more we didn’t cover.
As you can see, options give the investor flexibility. There are numerous ways to make money in the market – no matter which direction it’s headed. You don’t always have to wait for a bull market to make money, because a down or sideways market can be just as profitable.
Want to take advantage of these and other profit opportunities? I invite you to look at the recommendation service I am directing: Zacks Options Trader.
It takes the guesswork out of options trading because I do all the research for you and present it in simple language with easy-to-understand signals.
Whether you're new to options trading or a seasoned pro, I’ll walk you through each trade step-by-step as we take a unique approach to some of the most popular options strategies. We’ll also dive into other strategies that are almost unknown except among professional investors.
This portfolio has generated some big winners recently, including +106.5%, +110.6%, and +132.1% in as little as 29 days.
On Tuesday morning, I’ll be adding a brand-new trade that could be just as profitable – and you can be among the first Zacks members to get in on it.
When you check out Options Trader, you can also download our just-released 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days report. This Special Report reveals 7 stocks our team of experts believe will significantly outperform the market in June. They are handpicked from the proven list of Zacks Rank #1 Strong Buys as most likely for immediate breakout.
I encourage you to check out Options Trader right away. Adding options to your trading arsenal can help you maximize your profits, cut back on your risk, and trade your favorite stocks for just pennies on the dollar.
But don’t delay. This opportunity is only available until midnight Monday, May 27.
See my option trades now>>
Thanks and good trading.
Kevin
Kevin Matras, Executive Vice President, is our world-class research expert who has developed more than 30 market-beating strategies using the Zacks Rank. He also directs our service that combines the Zacks Rank with the best options strategies for today’s uncertain market, Zacks Options Trader.