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The European Market Brief 23: The Case for a Global Portfolio Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

Is it time to look past the U.S. tech concentration?

For many traders, "the market" has become synonymous with a handful of domestic tech names. But with 40% of the world's investable equity sitting outside the U.S., ignoring the international tape means missing out on massive shifts in financials, defense, and emerging tech hubs.

In this episode, Mark Longo sits down with a panel of experts to discuss how to navigate the global landscape using the MSCI ecosystem. We explore why the "only free lunch in finance" is back in style and how the pros are using listed derivatives to manage risk across different time zones and regimes.

On the Hot Seat:

Ratchna Mathur, Executive Director, Eurex
Anshul Kamra, Head of Index Derivatives and Systematic Strategies Research, MSCI Inc.
Vas Koutsoulis, Index Derivatives Product (EMEA), MSCI Inc.

Discussion Highlights:

The Concentration Crisis: Why the U.S. market's top-heavy nature is driving a hunt for global alternatives.
The Global Semi Play: Accessing the AI infrastructure boom through Taiwan and Korea.
Regional Deep Dives: From the resilient European financials to the shifting energy correlations in the GCC.
Operational Edge: How to use Eurex's 21-hour trading window to eliminate overnight gap risk.

For more on global benchmark trading, visit www.eurex.com .

The Hot Options Report: 04-28-2026 Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

On a surprisingly light trading day following Nvidia's recent all-time high, the 5K Club scan takes center stage, revealing heavy institutional flow in fixed-income ETFs. Join Mark Longo as he breaks down the top trades of the day, from the surge in bond market activity to high-stakes earnings plays.

In this episode, we explore:

The 5K Club Scan: Why LQD, RIG, and HYG are lighting up the tape with institutional-sized premiums.
Earnings Watch: Is paper betting big on SOFI ahead of their bell-ringing results?
Tech Tumble & Recovery: Analyzing the flow in NVDA, MU, AMD, and MSFT as the semi-conductor rally takes a breather.
Retail Favorites: A deep dive into the massive volume hitting TSLA and AAPL strikes.

Whether you're looking to "roll the bones" on short-term calls or seeking the safety of covered calls, we provide the analytics you need to navigate the current tape.

Check out more options analytics at: TheHotOptionsReport.com

The Crypto Rundown 316: Crypto Counterparty Risk Gives Everyone Nightmares Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Institutional adoption of crypto is here, but the "nightmare" of counterparty risk still keeps many major players on the sidelines. In this episode, Mark Longo sits down with Gideon Hyams, co-founder and chairman of STS Digital, to discuss how they are bridging the gap between traditional finance (TradFi) and the wild world of crypto derivatives.

Gideon shares his journey from the legendary O'Connor market-making desks to the crypto "dark side," explaining why STS Digital is now making markets in over 400 different tokens. We dive deep into:

The Evolution of Skew: How the "Ibit" effect has fundamentally changed Bitcoin volatility and why Ethereum might be the better play for tail-risk protection.
Solving Counterparty Risk: The importance of regulated jurisdictions like Bermuda and institutional-grade custody integration with BitGo and Fireblocks.
Exotic Options & Structured Products: Moving beyond simple covered calls to risk reversals, reverse knock-outs, and yield-enhanced notes.
The Altcoin Universe: Why the Central Limit Order Book model fails for long-tail assets and how RFQ (Request for Quote) systems are saving the day.

Later in the Bitcoin Breakdown and Altcoin Universe segments, where we look at the "summer lull" hitting the markets, the current state of Bitcoin and ETH volatility, and the latest moves in Solana, Circle, and even Shiba Inu.

The Option Block 1464: Everyone Gets a Peace Dividend! Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Is the market pricing in a "Peace Dividend" before the peace actually arrives? Host Mark Longo is joined by "Uncle" Mike Tosaw of St. Charles Wealth Management and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi of Option Pit to break down a market that refuses to quit. Despite geopolitical tensions, the S&P 500 is flirting with all-time highs—is this a "Peace Dividend" or just aggressive momentum?

In this episode, the panel dives into:

The Trading Block: A look at the "drifting" market, VIX cash levels, and the massive rally in tech. Why are algos and retail traders buying the dip with both hands?
Earnings Palooza: Preparing for the "mother of all earnings weeks" with Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Intel on deck. Plus, a look at the wild volatility haircut in Amazon's straddle.
The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Vila Silver Corp (VZLA), a massive pre-earnings play in NOV Inc (NOV), and the explosion (and subsequent implosion) of Poet Technologies (POET).
Strategy Block: Uncle Mike shares a "low-risk entry" strategy using SPY call diagonals to capture double leverage with limited downside.
80s Trivia: A heated battle over science and geography that leaves the panel questioning everything (including the color of a Chow Chow's tongue).

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See for yourself at: tastytrade.com/podcasts

The Hot Options Report: 04-27-2026 Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the Monday, April 27, 2026, edition of The Hot Options Report with your host, Mark Longo. It was a historic day in the options market as Nvidia (NVDA) defied gravity, blowing past previous records to set a brand new all-time high of $216.82. While the bulls celebrated in NVDA, it was a "black eye" day for Poet Technologies (POET), which saw its stock price annihilated—dropping nearly 47% following a wild week of volatility.

In this episode, we break down the top 10 most active names on the tape, including:

The Silver Sweeps: We dive into $1M premium sweeps in Apple (AAPL), AMD, and massive March 2027 leaps in Silver (SLV).
The High-Fliers: Intel (INTC) continues its parabolic run, nearly doubling in a month to hit the $85 handle.
The Big Dogs: Massive volume in Tesla (TSLA) with over 4 million contracts and a deep dive into the winning NVDA $212.50 calls.
Tech Round-up: Actionable insights into Micron (MU), Meta, Alphabet (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), and Microsoft (MSFT).

Whether you're looking for the latest "Golden Sweep" data or trying to understand the retail sentiment behind the biggest movers, the Hot Options Report has you covered.

Visit TheHotOptionsReport.com for daily scans and join the community at TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro .

Volatility Views 677: Geopolitical Turmoil and the Death of Vol Conferences Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

Is the traditional volatility conference a dying breed? This week on Volatility Views, host Mark Longo and the "Once, Future, and Present Dr. VIX," Russell Rhoads, dive into the shifting landscape of institutional trading events—from the legendary "swag mazes" of the CBOE Risk Management Conference (RMC) to the distinct lack of retail-friendly education in the space.

The duo breaks down a week of head-scratching market action where the S&P 500 hits new all-time highs while the VIX remains surprisingly "spicy" due to geopolitical uncertainty and ceasefire extensions.

Highlights include:

The RMC Swag Report: Russell reviews the high-end gear at this year's conference and the curious absence of electronic swag.
The VVIX/VIX Ratio: A deep dive into using this relationship as a hard trading indicator.
VIX Options Flow: Analysis of massive prints in the May and June cycles, including a rare 15,000-lot weekly trade that caught Russell's eye.
The "Hair Dryer" Hedge: A wild look at betting markets and a Polymarket trader who allegedly rigged a weather-based bet.
Crystal Ball: Mark and Russell place their bets on the VIX handle for next week.

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The Hot Options Report: 04-24-2026 Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to The Hot Options Report, your premier source for insight into the fast-moving options market. On today's episode, host Mark Longo breaks down a high-volume Friday session where the "A-Tech" names and semiconductors completely lit up the tape. From Intel's stunning 24% rally to Nvidia knocking on the door of new all-time highs, we analyze the order flow that defined the day.

In this episode, we explore:

The Quick Bull Scan: Today's featured technical signal featuring FRHLF, AXS, and ASOMY.
The Top 10 Order Flow: Deep dives into NVDA, TSLA, INTC, AMD, AMZN, AAPL, MU, MSFT, MNST, and META.
Sector Highlights: Why the street is cheering for more layoffs at Meta and how Micron continues its wild rollercoaster ride.
Market Sentiment: A look at the aggressive 0DTE (Zero Days to Expiration) action in the big-cap tech names.

Check out more options data at: HotOptionsReport.com.

TWIFO 494: Equity Whipsaws & Crude Oil Surges Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

In this "Just the Facts, Ma'am" edition of This Week in Futures Options, Mark Longo breaks down a bifurcated week at the CME Group. With volatility creeping back into the equities and geopolitical tensions lighting a fire under energy, we examine the massive shifts in skew and volume across the complex.

On the Docket for Episode 494:

Movers & Shakers: Why silver and soybeans are heading to the "Dark Side" while RBOB and KC Wheat lead the "Light Side."
Equities: High-volume 0DTE action in the S&P 500 and a rotation check in the Russell 2000 (IWM).
Agricultural Spotlight: A deep dive into the massive vol explosion in KC Wheat and the unusual wing-buying in Soybean Oil.
Energy: WTI Crude vol is threatening triple digits. We analyze the 110/120 call spreads and the crumbling put skew as traders brace for more upside.

The Hot Options Report: 04-23-2026 Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

The options tape was on fire today as the market digested a major reversal in Tesla (TSLA) and braced for Intel (INTC) earnings. Host Mark Longo breaks down the massive volume shifts across the top 10 most active names, including nearly 3.6 million contracts in TSLA alone.

We also dive into the "Death Cross" scan from HotOptionsReport.com, identifying bearish technical signals in names like A.O. Smith (AOS) and Adamas (ADAMI). Plus, we analyze the heavy flow in Nvidia (NVDA), Microsoft (MSFT), and the "Monster" strategy that dominated the tape.

On Today's Menu:

The Death Cross Scan: Tracking the top bearish signals in the current market.
Tesla's Turn to the Dark Side: Why the post-earnings rally faded and what the 370 puts are signaling.
Intel's Massive Beat: Analyzing the 19% after-hours surge and the "kiss of death" for put buyers.
Big Tech Breakdown: Unusual activity and price action in NVDA, AAPL, AMZN, and AMD.

Get more options data at TheHotOptionsReport.com.

The Option Block 1463: Crude, TSLA, and Medical Scrubs - Pick Your Poison! Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

If you think the market makes sense right now, you haven't been paying attention. This week on the Option Block, host Mark Longo is joined by Dan Passarelli (MarketTaker Mentoring), Brian Overby (The Options Playbook), and Kevin Carter (Cboe Global Markets) to navigate a market that is equal parts predictable and head-scratching.

On the Docket:

Trading Block: A look at the surging price of crude and why semiconductors are carrying a "tired" market.
The Odd Block: We investigate massive call buying in FIGS (Medical Scrubs) ahead of earnings. Is it a retail frenzy or institutional positioning? Plus, unusual flows in Hasbro (HAS) and Comcast (CMCSA).
Strategy Session: Brian Overby breaks down his recent trade in Netflix and explains the mechanics of a back ratio spread to repair a stock position (The "Covered Call on Steroids").
Volatility Watch: Discussing why the VIX remains largely "hunched" despite a sea of red on the screens and geopolitical bullets flying.
Mail Block: Listeners ask about the updated SKU index and the tactical use of high vol.

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