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Options Boot Camp 404: WTH Are PERPS? Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

What the heck are PERPS—and why are they suddenly everywhere?

On this episode of Options Boot Camp, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli tackle one of the hottest topics in the derivatives world: perpetual futures, better known as perps.

They break down how perpetual futures work, why they don't have expiration dates, how they differ from traditional futures contracts, and why eliminating expiration also eliminates the need to constantly roll positions. Then they dive into the all-important funding rate—the mechanism designed to keep perpetual futures prices aligned with the underlying market.

Using easy-to-follow examples, the hosts explore what happens when a perp trades at a premium or discount to the underlying, who pays the funding rate, how professional traders may respond, and why the mechanics can vary significantly from one trading venue to another.

They also discuss the growing interest in perps across the derivatives industry, the comparison between perpetual futures and 0DTE options, and why options traders should understand this increasingly important product.

Plus, in the Mail Call, the crew discusses whether it might finally be time to revisit and remaster some of the earliest Options Boot Camp episodes for a new generation of options traders.

Topics include:

What are perpetual futures (perps)?
Perpetual futures vs. traditional futures
Why perps don't expire
How funding rates work
Positive vs. negative funding rates
Perps trading at premiums and discounts
Arbitrage and price convergence
Perpetual futures vs. 0DTE options
The growing role of perps in derivatives trading
Revisiting the early days of Options Boot Camp

The Hot Options Report: 08-19-2026 Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Strategy (MSTR) comes roaring back as crypto heats up, while Tesla (TSLA) steals the options crown from NVIDIA (NVDA) at the top of the most-active options list.

On this episode of The Hot Options Report, we break down the biggest names and most interesting trades lighting up the options market, including heavy activity in MSTR, TSLA, NVDA, AAPL, AMZN, INTC, MU, MSFT and more.

We also check out today's Lucky Seven scan, highlighting stocks and ETFs experiencing a major surge in options volume, and dig into some of the short-dated calls attracting traders' attention.

Which trades paid off, which calls expired worthless, and where is the options action heating up next? Find out on today's Hot Options Report.

Go to TheHotOptionsReport.com to run your own options reports.

The Hot Options Report: 08-18-2026 Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

It's the dog days of summer, and the options market is feeling the heat — or lack thereof.

On this episode of The Hot Options Report, we break down an unusually quiet day on the options tape as chip stocks come under pressure. NVIDIA (NVDA), AMD, Micron (MU), and Intel (INTC) all move lower, but options traders are already positioning for potential rebounds.

We also dig into the latest options activity in Apple (AAPL), Tesla (TSLA), Amazon (AMZN), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), and SpaceX, including short-dated calls and puts attracting attention across the market.

Plus, we take a quick trip through the crypto markets to see what's moving in Zcash, Aave, Toncoin and more.

Go to TheHotOptionsReport to run your own options reports.

The Crypto Rundown 236: Perps, Prediction Markets and the Future of Crypto Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The Crypto Rundown, host Mark Longo welcomes back Brandon Mulvihill, Co-Founder and CEO of Crossover Markets, for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolving crypto marketplace.

They explore the growth of institutional crypto trading, why Brandon believes crypto has more of a supply-chain problem than a demand problem, and how custody, credit, execution and regulation could shape the next phase of institutional adoption. Brandon also discusses the growth of Crossover Markets and CROSSx, the launch of CROSSx Disclosed, and what increasing involvement from traditional financial institutions could mean for digital assets.

Then the conversation turns to two of the hottest areas in the market: crypto perpetuals and prediction markets. Are perps really a revolutionary new product—or are they essentially the latest evolution of CFDs? And will prediction markets maintain their momentum as regulation and traditional sports betting continue to evolve?

Plus, we break down the latest action in Bitcoin, IBIT, Strategy (MSTR), Ethereum, ETHA, BMNR, Circle, HYPE, Solana, XRP, Dogecoin and more.

The Option Block 492: Loose Lips Sink Ships Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The Option Block, Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw of St. Charles Wealth Management and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi of Option Pit.

The crew kicks things off with a little Lusitania-inspired trivia before diving into a market caught between AI enthusiasm, geopolitical uncertainty, rising rates and the latest signals from the Fed.

On the show:

Why interest rates may still have room to move higher
The increasingly tangled web of AI and NVIDIA financing
What stubbornly elevated VVIX may be telling us
A massive VIX options trade targeting September upside
The latest options activity in NVIDIA, Tesla, Micron, SpaceX, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Intel and AMD
What the options market is pricing in for another busy week of retail earnings
Unusual options activity in Kingsoft Cloud Holdings (KC) and Comstock (LODE)
Using covered calls to help manage sequence-of-return risk in retirement
A September VIX trade from the Rock Lobster
What the crew is watching next in the S&P 500, bonds, rates and volatility

Plus, the latest installment of the Option Block trivia battle and plenty more options talk along the way.

The Hot Options Report: 08-17-2026 Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Micron and SpaceX bring some heat to an otherwise quiet August options market.

On this episode of The Hot Options Report, we break down the most active options trading across the market, including a strong rally in Micron, continued strength in SpaceX, and notable activity in NVIDIA, Tesla, Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Intel and AMD.

We also look at which calls and puts were attracting traders, where intraday moves gave option buyers opportunities to cash in, and which trades ultimately faded by the closing bell.

Plus, we kick things off with a look at the latest names triggering the Golden Cross technical scan.

Go to TheHotOptionsReport.com to create your own options reports.

Volatility Views 691: Volatility Survivors Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

The volatility survivors are back!

After surviving tornado sirens, wild weather and another relentless week of declining volatility, Mark Longo is joined by Russell Rhoads, Mark Sebastian and special guest Rich Excell to break down everything happening across the volatility landscape.

On this episode, the crew discusses the continued grind higher in equities and lower in VIX, why the bond and stock markets appear to be watching two very different movies, and whether volatility could completely melt down as we head deeper into the dog days of summer.

They also dig into the growing fascination with VIX puts, including the suddenly popular 15 strike, unusual activity across the VIX options market, a massive September-to-October/November VIX call roll, the latest action in SVIX, UVIX, UVXY and VXX, Russell's intriguing weekly VIX trades, and much more.

Plus, could VIX actually trade with a 12 handle before Jackson Hole? And what are our volatility survivors forecasting for next week?

TWIFO 509: The Mother of All Dead Cat Bounces Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of This Week in Futures Options, host Mark Longo is joined by Carley Garner of DeCarley Trading for a trip through a futures market full of rallies that may not be quite as bullish as they appear.

Carley makes the case that some of the biggest moves in crude oil, silver and other markets may be little more than dead cat bounces. We dig into the latest futures options activity across metals, energy and equities, including the unusual positioning showing traders heavily short natural gas while asset managers are historically long S&P futures.

We also break down:

Why Carley remains skeptical of the rallies in silver and gold
The latest options activity and volatility in crude oil
Why extreme short positioning in natural gas has Carley looking at calls
What record-long positioning could mean for the S&P
More unusual vertical spreads popping up in equity index options
Why grain rallies may still be opportunities for the bears
The latest options flow in corn following the crop report

The Hot Options Report: 08-13-2026 Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Micron keeps delivering fireworks as its wild run puts call sellers back in the hot seat. On this episode of The Hot Options Report, we break down the most active names and hottest options trades lighting up the market.

We dig into the action in Micron (MU) as traders once again pile into the thousand-strike calls. Plus, Tesla (TSLA) rallies while SpaceX (SPCX) comes back to Earth, NVIDIA (NVDA) claims the top spot on the options volume leaderboard, and Intel (INTC) attracts aggressive call activity.

We also check in on the options action in Palantir (PLTR), Netflix (NFLX), Amazon (AMZN), Super Micro Computer (SMCI), Apple (AAPL) and more.

Which options buyers are sitting pretty heading into expiration—and which sellers are still sweating? You can run your own reports at TheHotOptionsReport.com.

The Option Block 491: Release the Shaz!!! Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of The Option Block, host Mark Longo is joined by Mike Tosaw of St. Charles Wealth Management and Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz from Cboe for another deep dive into the latest action across the options market.

The markets are pushing toward fresh highs while volatility continues to retreat, but is everything really as calm as it seems? The crew examines VIX slipping below 15, persistent strength in VVIX, the explosion in options volume, and how the growing supply of volatility from yield products and defined-outcome ETFs may be changing market dynamics.

Then it's time to release the SHAZ! The Odd Block uncovers unusual options activity in Sharon AI Holdings (SHAZ), a wildly volatile name with some intriguing bullish call spread activity. The crew also investigates notable options trades in On Holding (ONON) and MGM Resorts (MGM).

Plus, we break down the latest options activity in NVIDIA, Tesla, SpaceX, Micron, Intel, Apple, Amazon and more; examine what the latest earnings data is really telling us; and discuss what traders should be watching as markets hover near all-time highs with volatility near the lows.

In this episode:

VIX falls below 15 as stocks push toward record territory
Why VVIX may be sending a different signal
How structured products and volatility supply could be affecting the market
The latest SPX, SPY, QQQ and IWM options activity
NVIDIA, Tesla and SpaceX lead the single-stock options leaderboard
SHAZ unleashes some truly unusual options activity
Bullish call spreads surface in SHAZ
A potentially significant put sale in ONON
Bullish options activity in MGM
What the latest earnings data says about the broader earnings season
Rates, bonds, geopolitical risk and what to watch next

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