Posts for SurlyTrader


Stagnant Volatility and Investment Choices

From SurlyTrader
August 31, 2010 at 9:35 pm
The fear factor of the markets has existed since the end of April.  Greece was at the top of the headlines, May 6th Flash Crash, the crash of the Euro, a double ... (more)

Austerity Trap

From SurlyTrader
August 30, 2010 at 9:15 pm
The European countries have pointed at austerity as the path to enlightenment.  Fiscal discipline and cost cutting will make the markets happy…or will ... (more)

Noteworthy News – August 30, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 29, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Economy: US economic growth is revised down to 1.6% – BBC This Is Not a Recovery - New York Times (Krugman) Spreading Hayek, Spurning Keynes - Wall Street ... (more)

The Turtle Wins the Race

From SurlyTrader
August 27, 2010 at 10:22 pm
This Friday’s trading concluded the week with our often schizo “risk-on” mindset.  It felt like a relief to have treasury yields rise instead ... (more)

Volatility in Perspective

From SurlyTrader
August 26, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Profunds released a nice infochart that shows volatility in perspective over the last 10 years across different indices.  I think this is a nice way to look ... (more)

Today’s Option Blogs August 25, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 25, 2010 at 6:30 am
Earnings trade management post earnings, an update on OTEX So, last I reported OTEX was up in the PM after reporting good earnings.  As I predicted my ... (more)

Home Sales: Chart of the Year

From SurlyTrader
August 24, 2010 at 10:59 am
If you were optimistic about a housing rebound, think again.  Existing home sales plummeted in July at a rate of -27.2% versus a consensus expectation of -13.4%. ... (more)

Expensive Skew

From SurlyTrader
August 23, 2010 at 10:06 pm
Despite a rather large decline in at-the-money implied volatility, skew still remains relatively high on the S&P 500.  The spread between 90% three month ... (more)

Noteworthy News – August 23, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 22, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Economy: Consequences of U.S. debt - The Japan Times Jobless claims jump to nine-month high Initial filings up 12,000 in latest week to hit 500,000 mark, data ... (more)

Big Brother

From SurlyTrader
August 21, 2010 at 11:01 pm
My intention for having this blog is to discuss the markets and the economy.  In broaching those two subjects, it is impossible to ignore government actions ... (more)

We’re Turning Japanese…

From SurlyTrader
August 18, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Continuing on the them of 1) everyone saying the sky is falling and 2) deflation putting us into a Japanese spiral, I want to take one more look at it: The US ... (more)

The Battle Between (In/De)Flationists

From SurlyTrader
August 17, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Since the general consensus seems to believe strongly in a the prospect of a double-dip recession, the deflationists are currently winning the hearts and minds ... (more)

Noteworthy News – August 16, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 15, 2010 at 11:14 pm
Economy: Why do I expect the unemployment rate to increase? – CalculatedRisk Turbocharged Germany – Economist The prophets of doom warn that the ... (more)

Lehman Bankrupt from Rumors?

From SurlyTrader
August 12, 2010 at 8:48 pm
The Lehman Bankruptcy proceedings are taking a dramatic turn with accusations that rumors helped speed along the troubled investment bank’s collapse.  Lehman ... (more)

How Stressed is your State?

From SurlyTrader
August 11, 2010 at 8:55 pm
The Associated Press published a rather fun (depending how you look at it) interactive map which shows how economically stressed different counties and states ... (more)

Today’s Option Blogs August 11, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 11, 2010 at 6:30 am
An update on MCK earnings trade trade management, exit strategy. As I last posted (click here) on MCK the day after reporting when I closed three 3:2 spreads ... (more)

The Fed Feeds the Market

From SurlyTrader
August 10, 2010 at 9:45 pm
The equity markets were looking for “accommodative” language coming from the FOMC and they definitely got it.  The Federal Reserve stated that they ... (more)

Downward Grind on the VIX

From SurlyTrader
August 9, 2010 at 9:06 am
If you are short, the poor payroll numbers on Friday and downward pressure on the S&P 500 might have seemed like the turning point.   As the day wore on, ... (more)

Noteworthy News – August 9, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 8, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Economy: ECB’s Trichet Says Euro-Area Economy Stronger Than Expected - Bloomberg Jobless Claims Raise Doubts About Economy – ABC News 2 Top Economists ... (more)

Noteworthy News – August 9, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 8, 2010 at 10:32 pm
Economy: ECB’s Trichet Says Euro-Area Economy Stronger Than Expected - Bloomberg Jobless Claims Raise Doubts About Economy – ABC News 2 Top Economists ... (more)

Noteworthy News – August 2, 2010

From SurlyTrader
August 1, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Politics: What They’re Not Telling You about the Deficit – New York Times Obama’s message to voters: Things could be worse – Associated Press Report: ... (more)

Understanding the S&P 500 VEQTOR Index

From SurlyTrader
July 29, 2010 at 5:49 pm
It is unfortunate that there are not more mutual funds or ETF’s that directly enhance long equity positions with option overlays. I have covered the enhanced ... (more)

Goldman, Paulsen and the Abacus Deal

From SurlyTrader
July 27, 2010 at 8:19 pm
A short video by USA Today which summarizes the history of the Abacus deal which resulted in the $550M fine to Goldman.  Watch it like an ethics video presented ... (more)

Will Taking Risk Reward?

From SurlyTrader
July 26, 2010 at 8:41 pm
It seems that the market is in a precarious position.  After a few months of very weak trading, we have experienced a fairly significant 10% bounce off of the ... (more)

Noteworthy News – July 25, 2010

From SurlyTrader
July 25, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Politics: How’s that Troubled Asset Relief Program going? Not so well – Investor’s Business Daily The next big task of financial reform: dismantling ... (more)