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The Hot Options Report: 03-25-26 Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Host Mark Longo breaks down the massive institutional flows for Wednesday, March 25, 2026. We dive into the big money moving in Alphabet (GOOGL), heavy volatility in Micron (MU), and the massive momentum shift in AMD.

Today's Market Heat Map:

AMD Spotlight: Breaking down the 785,000 contracts as AMD rallies over 7%.
Alphabet Analysis: Inside the Wednesday weekly action as GOOGL hits the top ten volume list.
Whale Trades: The "Million Plus" badge scans for Micron (MU) and big premium in Cadence.
The Volume Leaders: A look at the millions of contracts in Tesla (TSLA) and Nvidia (NVDA).

Get the Data: TheHotOptionsReport.com

Options Boot Camp 383: Weekend Risk and Dangerous Donkeys Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Is the "Wheel Strategy" making you nervous in a high-volatility market? In this episode, Mark Longo and Dan Passarelli field listener questions about navigating black swan fears, the "Greeks" you should watch when the market moves fast, and whether the AI narrative in Nvidia still has legs.

Dan also prepares for his upcoming trip to Greece by getting some questionable advice from Mark about riding donkeys in Santorini and ordering "Euros" at the local taverna.

Key topics covered in this episode:

The Wheel Strategy vs. Credit Spreads: Is it time to cap your downside when the VIX hits 22?
Vega and Gamma Focus: How your attention should shift between Greeks in a fast-moving market.
Nvidia (NVDA) Outlook: Dealing with underwater bull call spreads after the GTC conference.
0DTE Expansion: Will we see more zero-day contracts added to the roster this year?
UVIX vs. SVIX: A deep dive into leveraged and inverse VIX products and how to use them to hedge "weekend risk."

The Hot Options Report: 03-24-26 Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

On today's episode of The Hot Options Report, Mark Longo breaks down a surprisingly quiet Tuesday in the options market. While total volume hit "dog days of summer" levels at just 362,000 contracts to break the Top 10, the 5K Club scanner was lighting up with significant institutional activity.

Inside this episode:

The 5K Club: A deep dive into massive block trades in the VIX, EWZ (Brazil), and NVIDIA ($NVDA).
The Top 10 Countdown: Why Tesla ($TSLA) and NVIDIA held the top spots despite lighter-than-usual overall volume.
Retail & Tech Movers: Analyzing the options tape for SoFi, Amazon ($AMZN), Alphabet ($GOOGL), and Meta.
Semiconductor Volatility: A look at the "wild" action in Micron ($MU) and Palantir ($PLTR) as paper looks to overwrite positions.

Whether you're tracking the "Power Strike" in Meta or looking for the next big move in the Fruit Company ($AAPL), we have the data you need to stay ahead of the tape.

Check out the full scans at TheHotOptionsReport.com .

The Hot Options Report: 3-23-26 Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Join Mark Longo for the Monday, March 23, 2026, edition of The Hot Options Report. It was a "respectable" day on the tape with over half a million contracts needed just to break into the top 10. We start the week by looking at the Call Bias Scan from TheHotOptionsReport.com, featuring WFRD, KANE, and DNTH as the top names where the bulls are showing their hand.

The Top 10 Deep Dive:

Tesla (TSLA): Reclaims the #1 spot with 2.92M contracts. We break down the nail-biting action in the 380 puts.
Nvidia (NVDA): 2.6M contracts traded. Was the 180 call a smart "lottery ticket" or a total washout?
Apple (AAPL): Unusual size (72k contracts) hitting the June 280 calls.
SMCI: Defending the 20 strike once again as volatility remains high.
The Tech Stack: Rapid-fire analysis of MSFT, AMZN, PLTR, MU, META, and SOFI.

Get the full breakdown of the strikes that matter and the "paper" that moved them.

Full Scans & Badges: www.TheHotOptionsReport.com

Pro Insight: www.TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

The Crypto Rundown 312: Are We Feeling Crypto HYPE Again? Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

Is Bitcoin finally decoupling from Gold as a flight-to-quality asset? Join Mark Longo and Greg Magadini from Amberdata as they break down the 75K "magnet" level and the surge of "Hype" in the top 10.

Full Description: In this episode, we dive deep into the shifting dynamics of the crypto derivatives market amidst global volatility. As the Middle East conflict influences traditional assets, we examine why Bitcoin is showing relative strength against Gold and what dealer positioning at the $75,000 strike tells us about the next move.

Key topics include:

The Bitcoin Breakdown: Analyzing the $65K–$75K consolidation range and the impact of extreme backwardation.
Dealer Positioning: Why the 75K calls are acting as a "magnet" for price action.
Altcoin Universe: The rise of Hyper Liquid (HYPE) into the Top 10 and why Solana (SOL) remains a favorite for "responsible yield."
The Volatility Surface: Exploring the negative spot-vol correlation and the impact of IBIT options on the skew.
Stablecoin Velocity: A deep dive into USDC (Circle) vs. Tether and the future of 24/7 blockchain settlement.

Featured Guest: Greg Magadini, Director of Derivatives at Amberdata.

The Option Block 1454: The Big Bounce Back? Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

The markets are shot out of a cannon this Monday! Host Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovanizzi to break down a wild "Bounce Back" session driven by shifting geopolitical headlines and "weekend risk" reversals.

On this episode, the panel dives into:

The Trading Block: A massive reversal in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. Is the "Taco Trade" back in play? Plus, a look at VIX cash flirting with 26 and a surge in April 30 calls.
Odd Block: Unusual activity in a newcomer—TetraTech (TTEK)–and a potential "rubber rebound" in Goodyear Tire (GT).
Strategy Block: Uncle Mike shares a "tool for the toolbox" for covered call writers caught in a downtrend.
Mail Block: The panel debates: Will the Fed actually cut rates again in 2026?

Plus, find out if you know what a "somnambulist" is in our 80s Trivia Challenge!

The Hot Options Report: 03-20-26 Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

On a "blood red" Friday in the markets, the Hot Options Report dives into the explosive allegations rocking the AI sector. Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment against a co-founder of Super Micro Computer (SMCI), alleging a massive $2.5 billion scheme to smuggle restricted NVIDIA (NVDA) AI chips to China.

Mark Longo breaks down how this scandal sent SMCI shares plummeting over 33% and how the "options tape" reacted to the news. We also look at the Silver Sweep scan, tracking nearly $1 million in premium moving through the chains.

In this episode, we cover:

SMCI Meltdown: The details of the $2.5B smuggling case and the massive put volume targeting the $20 strike.
NVIDIA (NVDA): How the SMCI news and broader sell-off impacted the king of AI chips.
The Silver Sweep: Deep dives into huge institutional flows in SPY, IWM, and NVDA LEAPS.
Market Countdown: Volatility updates for Intel (INTC), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), SoFi, Micron (MU), Apple (AAPL), and Tesla (TSLA).

Run your own scans: HotOptionsReport.com

Volatility Views 673: Geopolitical Risk and the Death of Lone Wolf McQuade Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Volatility Views, the crew breaks down a week of intense market swings driven by escalating Middle East conflict and a stunning shift in the Fed's long-term rate outlook. We also pay tribute to the legendary Chuck Norris (1940–2026) and discuss why his passing—and the spirit of Lone Wolf McQuade—is the perfect metaphor for today's "fighting" markets.

Key Topics Covered:

The 2027 Pivot: Why the market is suddenly pricing in a "higher for much longer" regime, with the next potential rate move shifting toward late 2027.
Geopolitical Volatility: How the Iran-Israel conflict and threats to oil supply chains are keeping the VIX term structure in a state of nervous backwardation.
The Gretchen Bullseye: Russell Rhoads' model nails the VIX Cash settlement at 26.26. We look at the next prediction for the week ahead.
The UVIX "Open-to-Open" Edge: A deep dive into Russell's new back-tested strategy for trading volatility ETPs over the weekend.
VIX Option Flow: Analyzing the massive April 80 call interest and why the "May 47.5" trade just rolled to August.

Featured Guests:

Mark Longo (The Options Insider)
Andrew Giovinazzi (Option Pit)
Russell Rhoads (VIX Expert & Author)

Links: Get more at TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

TWIFO 489: Middle East Conflict Shakes Energy Spreads, Defies Gold Logic & Rattles Equities Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Mark Longo and Dan Gramza dive deep into the massive dislocations hitting the futures and options markets as Middle East tensions escalate. While WTI remains surprisingly range-bound, the Brent spread has widened to levels not seen in over a decade. Why isn't gold acting as a safe haven, and what is the "put bomb" currently dropping in the S&P 500?

In this episode, we cover:

Movers & Shakers: Heating Oil and Lumber lead the bulls, while Silver and Platinum take a massive hit.
Energy: The 11-year high in the Brent/WTI spread, the impact of the Strait of Hormuz, and a look at the massive 1x3 vertical calls in Brent.
Equities: Why the S&P 500 remains "orderly" despite the volatility, and a look at the heavy 6500 put activity.
Metals: The missing "flight to quality"—why Gold is selling off during a geopolitical crisis and what the 35+ vol means for traders.
Nat Gas: Assessing the damage to global LNG facilities and the neutral zone between $2.90 and $3.30.

The Option Block 1453: Getting Drunk on Crude and Coal Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

The "Thursday Effect" strikes again as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East send markets tumbling and volatility spiking. Host Mark Longo is back in the Chicago studio to break down a "Blood-Red Thursday" alongside "Uncle" Mike Tosaw and Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz.

The panel dives into the massive VIX rolls, the curious lack of a "flight to quality" in bonds and gold, and why the S&P 500 is struggling to hold the 6500 level. Plus, we look at why traders are suddenly piling into coal and spirits.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Trading Block: Market reaction to Middle East escalations, surging oil, and the VIX hitting 25.
VIX Watch: A massive 250,000-contract roll in May/August 47.50 calls.
The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) and a speculative flurry in Brown-Forman (BF.B).
Mail Block: What's keeping traders up at night? Geopolitical risk vs. sky-high valuations.
Around the Block: What to watch as we head into the weekend, including FedEx earnings and the "Oil VIX" (OVX).

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