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Diary of a WTI options market maker

GL

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I have been a trader since 1980. I started trading options in late 1983. I lost every penny of a $1.6 million portfolio in the crash of October 1987. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I have a undergraduate degree in Finance. I have a Masters degree in Economics. I have completed about half the requirements of a PhD in Financial Economics. I don't advise pursuing a PhD unless you want to be a teacher. It will not make you a better investor/trader. I developed a trading strategy involving shorting calls against GUSH in 2015 that I managed for a trucking firm to alleviate the strains of high fuel prices. Early in 2019 the owner of the trucking company sold the company and devoted his time to managing just the strategy itself. He said that he expects to make more profit in 2020 from writing calls against GUSH and writing puts and calls against his WTI contracts than his 32-truck transportation company ever did...all from his home...in his pajamas.

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Jan 28 2020

Bought 2 June WTI contracts at $53.60. Sold to Open 2 June WTI 54 puts at $4.03. Net purchase price $49.57. Cash Balance : $83,000. Currently long 2 March contracts 2 April contracts 2 May contracts and 2 June contracts all with 54 puts shorted against them. Now it's time for a slow grind up.

Edited by Gary LeBlanc

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1 hour ago, Gary LeBlanc said:

We use the 3 months total of the ( Total Put $$/Total Call $$) × ( Total Put $$ - Total Call $$ ). A 4.0 or higher is indicative of a bottom. That's not to imply that it goes up, it's just that it won't go lower. More than likely base.

Gary  - What's the number to indicate a top?

Think I'm doing it wrong.  I get a number in the millions.  Not a small whole number > 4.0. 

That's correct. My fault. Left out a step. The "imbalance" is calculated in " Billions of dollars". We also use the 3-month total.  So a PCPR of 2.69 multiplied by $1.69 Billion imbalance = LBI. The first month gets priority because once options expire that opportunity is gone. 

Edited by Gary LeBlanc

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  The PCPR gravitates towards 1.0. That indicates balance in the options market. The LBI indicates the severity of the imbalance in reference to the premiums the market makers stand to make. A value of "4.0" would equate to a very "sold off" level. The reciprocal is used when calculating PCPR values less than 1.0 which indicates an "overbought" level.

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Jan 28 2020

    The 2 March contracts purchased at $52.67 yesterday closed at 53.98 today for a gain of $1.31 or $2,620 for the pair. The 2 March WTI 54 puts shorted at $2.67 closed at 1.75 for a gain of $.92 or $1,840 for a combined gain of $4,460 for the March strategy after one day.

   The 2 Apr contracts purchased at 53.40 yesterday closed at 54.00 for a gain of $.60 or $1,200. The 2 Apr 54 puts shorted at $3.26 closed at 2.67 for a gain of $.59 or $1,180 for a combined gain of $2,3800 for the April strategy after one day.

   The 2 May contracts purchased at $53.21 closed at 53.97 for a gain of $.76 or $1,520. The 2 May 54 puts shorted at 3.77 closed at 3.55 today for a gain of $.22 or $440.

   The 2 June contracts purchased today at 53.60 closed at 53.81 for a gain of $.21 or $420. The 2 June 54 puts shorted at $4.03 closed at 3.82 for a gain of $.21 or $420 for a combined total of $840.

   Total gain for the March-June strategy is a total of $9,640.

  

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Jan 29 2020

  As of 10:12 CST the March contract was at $53.52. This is a gain of $.85 over the purchase price of $52.67. The Mar 54 puts shorted against the contracts is currently $1.89, down from the Sell to Open price of $2.67 for a gain of $.78. The combined total profit for the 2 March contracts is $3,260.

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Gary, I took your advice and got in 10 long July contracts, added 5 more sell to open July puts. Total 10 each. Both got in green and sold them for $2600 profit. 

Now looking to re-enter in better position. Orders in for 2 April $55 sell to open puts at $3.6, 2 May $55 sell to open puts at $4.1 and 2 Jun $54.5 sell to open puts at $4.27. Jun executed.

Looking to buy long futures contracts against all.

Edited by Mario Andretti

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Good luck. My positions are pretty close to yours. My March 54 puts will have a Buy to Close price of the Sell to Open price multiplied by 20% is approximately 50 cents. I have an order to Sell to Open 2 June 58 calls at $3.00. Then I'll do May 58 calls at $3.00. Then Apr and March if possible.

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Jan 29 2020 4:34 pm EST

The March contract is at $53.12. This is a gain of 45 cents. The March 54 put is at 2.13. That is a gain of $.54. More than the contract itself has made. The combined total profit per contract is $.99.

  The April contract is at $53.20 for a loss of $.20. The Apr 54 put is at $3.04. That is a gain of of $.22 for a combined gain of 2 cents. Notice that the options strategy provided the profit for the whole trade.

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4 hours ago, Gary LeBlanc said:

Jan 29 2020 4:34 pm EST

The March contract is at $53.12. This is a gain of 45 cents. The March 54 put is at 2.13. That is a gain of $.54. More than the contract itself has made. The combined total profit per contract is $.99.

  The April contract is at $53.20 for a loss of $.20. The Apr 54 put is at $3.04. That is a gain of of $.22 for a combined gain of 2 cents. Notice that the options strategy provided the profit for the whole trade.

So are you saying your $9,640 virtually evaporated ?

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Not at all what I'm trying to communicate. I am trying to point out that without the short-option strategy a buy and hold strategy would be in a loss at this time. Net profit is $1,380. Not "evaporated". Just bought these contracts this week. I have no intention on selling them until after options expiration. It's all about the options. Fixate on those. Retail traders fixate on the up and downs. I fixate on the "time" since it's so much more valuable. When the options expire I ditch the contracts. The contracts are just a vessel.

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I understand you have time on your side to "hopefully" ride out any adverse move against your directional play... just always be ready for the "black swan" (which you have already, in the past, experienced) ~ I look forward to watching your trade(s) as they progress...

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I have been waiting to go long ES for hours! Damn falling knife. I'm lucky to still be in the green today. Haven't touched CL yet today ~ just had a big jump up...

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I believe you. We do two things differently. I bought 8 contracts for about $400,000 as a result of using no margin and being able to short 54 puts against all 8. Just a waiting game for me. The orders I have next is the Buy to Close the 2 March 54 puts at 65 cents, but I won't execute this order until 58 calls are Sold to Open. Sold to Open March 54 puts at $2.67. Also waiting is an order to Sell to Open 2 June 58 calls at $3.00. 

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Best week to date... Too many trades though ~ My normal protection stops after in-profit hit too many times (damn reversals only to go back my direction)...

BestWeekYet.JPG

Edited by OilProspector

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