Regular readers of this blog know that I seldom talk about actual trades, I mentioned the reason for that in this post. Ironically the trade on Leucadia I spoke about ended up being my dumb trade of the month, talk about confirmation. So to invite disaster I thought I’d discuss what I’m currently up to, in case it’s not clear from my other musing.

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Option Sellers Beware.

Mark D Wolfinger on the folly of buying options.

Four trades this month, all in the US and all calls. One was called, Fedex delivered the cash on the Buffett / BNI inspired surge in transports. I’m glad to have the cash and FDX gone. FDX closed at $81.78, $0.28 above my sold total ($75+6.50).
AEO, MIDD and NUAN averaged a 4.6% cash gain for the six weeks and ended lower. If you’re both happy to hold and to sell a stock then calls are excellent dividend producing options. However, if you want to sell a company then sell it, …

Buying Telstra at current prices gives investors a relatively safe 10% yield while they wait for a respectable capital gain.

As a part owner of Amgen and nephew to a breast cancer sufferer I was happy to read Denosumab demonstrated superiority over Zometa. As an option seller it sent a shiver down my spine.

I know the synthetic theory of Puts and covered calls and I sell both naked puts and calls on stock I own. I have never entered a covered call as a Put is the better trade; less expensive and usually marginally more profitable. Believing writing covered calls is conservative made it as my fifth biggest mistakes in option trading. But I always wonder when I sell a call, “what the hell am I doing!” Why don’t I just sell the sell the stock and sell a put.

As a rule I don’t often talk about by trades. The main reason for that is I’ve found talking about a trade influences it. I’m not talking a butterfly flapping its wings over Japan here, I’m talking about real and very tangibles effects. As soon as I mention a trade to anyone then my ego comes in to play. I’d like to say it doesn’t, but I know it does.

If you could half your risk and maintain all the upside for a pittance would you be interested? Well read on as I’ve got a couple strategies to share with you.