OICs Wide World of Options
100 episodes - English - Latest episode: 23 days ago - ★★★★ - 13 ratingsHosted by Mark Benzaquen, OIC Instructor and Principal, Investor Education at OCC®, the OIC Wide World of Options podcast will feature a dynamic mix of current events, investor resources and strategy insights.
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Episodes
Wide World of Options: A Return to Statistics, Covered Calls, and More
April 04, 2024 13:43 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBIn this two-part episode, OIC host Mark Benzaquen first welcomes OIC colleague Mat Cashman in a return to Statistics 101 as they discuss probability, standard deviation, and tail risk in options. Then we turn to a special segment with Dr. Alan Ellman of The Blue Collar Investor, for a conversation about the value of options education and Alan’s take on mistakes investors new to options might make. Be sure to listen in to this episode of Wide World of Options, where industry pros come to talk.
Wide World of Options: The Greeks, New Listings, and More!
March 07, 2024 14:53 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBIn this latest, two-part episode, OIC instructor Roma Colwell joins show host, Mark Benzaquen to discuss the Greeks and their potential impact to trading options. And Dave Stuber from OCC’s Market Operations team drops in to discuss the process of listing new options on U.S. exchanges and how OCC systems maintain almost 1.5 million different options series each day. Tune in for this insightful and lively session that’s sure to appeal to investors of all levels.
Wide World of Options: Options Pricing from a Dual Perspective
February 01, 2024 13:30 - 32 minutes - 30 MBFor those new to options, certain aspects of pricing are difficult to understand. And for those more seasoned traders, even they might be left “in the dark” when it comes to the behind the scenes mechanics of OCC pricing determinations. Luckily, OIC has both covered. Join host Mark Benzaquen as he welcomes fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating and OCC Director Colin Fisher to discuss pricing basics and OCC’s margining processes in this lively and informative episode, sure to interest investors...
Wide World of Options: New Year’s Resolutions and Options: What’s in Store for 2024!
January 04, 2024 13:30 - 21 minutes - 20 MBA New Year often brings with it new resolutions. If your resolution includes learning about options, The Options Industry Council and OIC’s Wide World of Options has you covered. In the first episode of 2024, host Mark Benzaquen explains the ins and outs of options fundamentals by defining options and discussing their potential uses. And as an added feature, Dave Nolan from OCC’s Member Services team joins the podcast to discuss OCC’s role in the marketplace.
Wide World of Options: Equity vs. Index Options: Is There a Difference?
December 07, 2023 15:04 - 21 minutes - 49 MBWhen it comes to trading exchange-listed options, all may not be apples to apples. Different products may have different settlement styles, different exercise restrictions, and even differences in trading hours, among others. Join OIC host Mark Benzaquen and OIC instructor Roma Colwell as they breakdown the various differences, similarities, and possible uses for index options in this lively episode of OIC’s Wide World of Options.
Wide World of Options: Ratio Spreads: Is More Really More?
November 02, 2023 14:35 - 33 minutes - 31.2 MBIs there more to gain (or lose) when buying more options than you sell or selling more than you buy? And what about pricing—how do the Greeks and implied volatility factor into the mix? Join host Mark Benzaquen and fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating as they discuss, dissect, and deconstruct ratio spreads for stock repair and bullish and bearish forecasts, and uncover whether more is really more.
Wide World Of Options: How Are Options Priced? Making Sense of Volatility Skew and Relative Value
October 03, 2023 22:31 - 26 minutes - 24.8 MBPop Quiz: Is a 10% out-of-the-money put priced similarly to an equally out-of-the-money call? And when it comes to risk, does the market value each strike the same? For answers to these questions and many more, tune into this OIC Wide World of Options episode as host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC instructor Mat Cashman to discuss implied volatility and various ways the market prices individual options.
Wide World of Options: Up, Down, or Sideways? Potentially Profiting from Market Moves
September 07, 2023 14:05 - 21 minutes - 19.8 MBThere are three certainties when it comes to the market: it can go up, it can go down, or it can stay the same. With that in mind, how might investors position themselves when they are uncertain which way the market will move - speculating that it WILL move one way or another? Or conversely, that it will not move at all? That’s where the flexibility and versatility of options comes in. Using long and short straddles and strangles, investors can employ options designed to potentially profit ...
Wide World of Options: Calendar Spreads: Forecasting Time and Volatility
August 03, 2023 23:00 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBWhen it comes to options, it is often said that time is money—which could be apparent when constructing calendar and diagonal spreads. Join OIC instructors Mark Benzaquen and Roma Colwell as they break down the construction, risk profile, and potential opportunities of these spreads in this lively 30-minute segment, designed to offer valuable insight for beginners and professional traders alike.
Wide World of Options: Condors and Butterflies: How High can these Option Strategies Fly?
July 05, 2023 19:56 - 23 minutes - 44 MBDo birds of a feather actually flock together? In this month’s Wide World of Options podcast, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC Instructor and option’s veteran Mat Cashman to discuss condors and butterflies--two strategies that combine defined risk with variable option premiums and can even be built to express a directional bias. Just like birds spreading their wings, the iron condor can give a wide potential profit range, while the iron butterfly can hover between two strike prices. Join OI...
Wide World of Options: When One Option May Not Be Enough: Trading Vertical Spreads
June 01, 2023 13:34 - 20 minutes - 18.7 MBWhen might an investor consider trading more than one option? In this month’s Wide World of Options podcast, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC Instructor and option’s veteran Ken Keating as they break down the fundamentals of vertical spread trading and share practical insight In determining various objectives of spread trading, as well as the potential risks and rewards inherent to spreads. Topics of discussion will include both debit and credit spreads as well as special risks all spread t...
Wide World of Options: Hedging With Options - Protection Strategies
May 04, 2023 15:00 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBNot every stock purchase will turn out to be a winner and, some investors may turn to options when looking for protection in turbulent times. Join OIC instructor Mark Benzaquen as he takes a deep-dive into the protective put and options collar strategies which can be used to potentially mitigate risk associated with stock holdings
Wide World of Options: Covered Calls and Cash-Secured Puts: Selling Options for Potential Income Generation
April 06, 2023 13:30 - 26 minutes - 24.8 MBInvestors may look to options to potentially generate income through a variety of strategies. Two common strategies are the covered call and the cash-secured put, both of which use short options in the hopes of capturing premium for income. Join OIC instructors Mark Benzaquen and Roma Colwell as they discuss the setup and potential pitfalls of these two strategies during the next episode of Wide World of Options.
Wide World of Options: It’s All Greek to Me
March 02, 2023 14:45 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBWhen it comes to options pricing, accurately forecasting how prices might react to changes in the marketplace can be as difficult as say, learning a new language. Fortunately, this OIC® Wide World of Options podcast can help you translate. Join host Mark Benzaquen as he welcomes colleague and long-time options professional Mat Cashman for a talk about the theoretical option metrics known as The Greeks. Mark and Mat will guide you through the Greeks and explain how they can help measure risk.
Wide World of Options: Options Pricing: A Closer Look at Valuation and Volatility
February 02, 2023 14:45 - 26 minutes - 24 MBKnowing how to value a call or put is necessary to understand options. But to take that understanding to the next level, investors should also have a firm grasp on the concept of volatility and how it may affect options pricing. In this Wide World of Options episode, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC® instructor Ken Keating for a discussion on the primary inputs used to determine options pricing as well as one of pricing’s key components, implied volatility.
Wide World of Options: Options and Your New Year’s Resolution
January 05, 2023 14:47 - 21 minutes - 39.3 MBIf your New Year’s Resolutions include learning about options, OIC’s Wide World of Options podcast has you covered. Get started by learning basic terminology and fundamental concepts necessary to begin your journey. Led by 25-year options veteran and OIC instructor, Mark Benzaquen, the first OIC podcast of the year will explain the basic concepts of buying and selling, the differences between calls and puts, the processes of exercise and assignment, and so much more!
Best of Episode - Wide World of Options 69: Using the Collar for Protection
December 01, 2022 04:38 - 40 minutes - 37.6 MBThis episode was previously released on August 23, 2019. -------- Join host Ed Modla and Mark Benzaquen, Manager of the OCC Investor Services team, as they discuss the collar strategy and the many ways that it can be used for downside protection. Then, Ed will take a look back at the launch of the options industry in the 1970s and its evolution to present-day.
Wide World of Options: Corporate Actions and their Impact on Options
November 07, 2022 16:50 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBWhile a merger between two companies might affect its shareholders, what effect might it have on buyers and seller of options? Mergers, along with other corporate actions such as stock splits and special dividends, have become fairly commonplace in today’s investing landscape and as their impact is far-reaching, it is incumbent upon options investors to have a clear understanding of how these corporate actions might affect and impact their portfolios. Join long-time options industry professi...
Wide World of Options: The Dividend Effect
October 06, 2022 13:41 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBWhen you’re buying or selling options, you should be aware of how a stock’s dividend can impact an option’s price--and your account. Join seasoned option professionals Mark Benzaquen and Mat Cashman as they discuss how dividends impact options pricing, the risk of early exercise, and the treatment of special dividends and adjusted contracts. Talking points: A recap on option pricing The impact of dividends on option prices Early exercise and assignment risk What happens when a divid...
Wide World of Options: An Investors Guide to Index Options
September 08, 2022 13:45 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBHow does trading options on a single stock differ from trading a basket of 500 or even 2,000? Is it just settlement style and exercise/ assignment limitations – or are there other market nuances investors should be aware of? Join seasoned options pros Mark Benzaquen and Roma Colwell as they discuss the differences (and similarities) of trading index options versus their single-stock counterparts. Topics to be addressed include: Cash-settlement vs. physical delivery AM vs. PM settlement ...
Wide World of Options: Using Implied Volatility to Implement Strategies
August 04, 2022 13:30 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBWhen markets become volatile, some investors see risk whereas others, opportunity. And thanks to the flexibility of trading options, investors can avail themselves of any number of strategies to potentially take advantage of these volatile markets or protect themselves from the uncertainty. Join seasoned options pros Mark Benzaquen and Ken Keating as they discuss the ins and outs of volatility as well as metrics such as IV rank, IV percentile, and strategies for both low and high IV situatio...
Wide World of Options: Options Exercise and Assignment: Is There More Than Meets the Eye?
July 07, 2022 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25.7 MBEven though more than 70% of all options are typically closed out ahead of expiration, there are still millions of contracts being exercised and assigned each month. Knowing this, it is important for investors to understand not only the benefits and risks of exercise and assignment, but also the rules surrounding the processes. Join seasoned options professionals Mark Benzaquen and Ken Keating as they take a deep dive under the surface of exercise and assignment to see that oftentimes, the...
Wide World of Options: Two Covered Call Strategies
June 02, 2022 15:25 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBPicking up from last month’s topic of “Trading Options for Income”, OIC further explores the concept by focusing on two popular selling strategies—the Covered Call and a variant of the strategy, the Poor Man’s Covered Call. Tune in as Wide World of Options host Mark Benzaquen and OIC instructor Roma Colwell breakdown the setup, strike selection, and position management of these two strategies.
Wide World of Options: Trading Options for Income
May 05, 2022 15:29 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBOption investors may have a range of investing objectives, including hedging, leverage, speculation and income generation. Wide World of Options host Mark Benzaquen and OIC(SM) Instructor Mat Cashman explore the details of trading options for income. Tune in as they dive into special risks of option sellers, frequently used selling strategies such as covered calls, cash secured puts, credit spreads and considerations for position management.
Wide World of Options: Earnings Season for Investors
April 07, 2022 14:00 - 28 minutes - 51.9 MBWhat are earnings and why are they important to investors? Join Wide World of Options host, Mark Benzaquen and OIC (SM) instructor Ken Keating for an insightful discussion on earnings season. They will cover important topics like the impact of earnings on option investors, ramifications of earnings on implied volatility and considerations for option strategy selection and trade management.
Wide World of Options 75: Capitalizing on Market Moves with the Straddle
December 18, 2020 19:17 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBTune in as host Ed Modla and OIC Instructor, Ken Keating, discuss the long straddle, a strategy for an investor that believes there is going to be a large market move in either direction. Then, Ed will answer your listener questions and discuss how you can calculate potential profit from your options trade.
Wide World of Options 74: What is the Option Collar?
May 08, 2020 20:32 - 43 minutes - 40.5 MBWide World of Options 74: What is the Option Collar? In this episode you’ll hear from host Ed Modla and Patrick Ceresna, Founder and Chief Derivative Market Strategist at Big Picture Trading. The duo will break down the construction of the option collar and talk position management. Then on Looking Back, Ed will return to the year 1973 to discuss the launch of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe) and how over-the-counter options were handled prior to being listed on the exchange.
Wide World of Options 73: Breaking Down The Iron Condor
February 10, 2020 00:16 - 34 minutes - 64.1 MBOn Strategy Spotlight, host Ed Modla chats with Parkwood Capital’s Kerry Given, a.k.a. Dr. Duke, about the Iron Condor. They discuss how the strategy is constructed, the impact of market conditions and differences to consider when comparing stock to index options. Later in the show, Ed answers listener questions about implied volatility and option exercise.
Wide World of Options 72: The Ups and Downs of A Long Call Position
November 27, 2019 16:22 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBOn Strategy Spotlight, host Ed Modla sits down with Todd Salamone, Vice President of Schaeffer’s Investment Research, to discuss the upside and downside risks associated with holding a long call position. They will analyze market direction, provide insight for selecting a strategy and explore management and exiting techniques.
Wide World of Options 71: Technical Analysis
October 25, 2019 16:23 - 52 minutes - 48.4 MBWhat is technical analysis and how can it be used to establish directional options strategies? Join host Ed Modla and Dan Gramza, President of Gramza Capital Management, as they discuss market structure, analysis of price movements and ways to put it together with an options strategy. Later, in Tools, Resources and Good Reads, Ed shares an OIC tool that may help you evaluate market moves.
Wide World of Options Episode 70: A Multi-Tiered Approach
September 17, 2019 14:42 - 38 minutes - 35.3 MBCurious about two-tier income strategies? Join host Ed Modla and CEO of Equity Armour Investments, Luke Rahbari, as they break down market condition, strike and expiration selection, strategy construction, downside risk and more.
WWoO 69: Using the Collar for Protection
August 23, 2019 14:27 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBJoin host Ed Modla and Mark Benzaquen, Manager of the OCC Investor Services team, as they discuss the collar strategy and the many ways that it can be used for downside protection. Then, Ed will take a look back at the launch of the options industry in the 1970s and its evolution to present-day.
Wide World of Options 68: Straddles and Listener Questions
July 30, 2019 16:52 - 37 minutes - 34.6 MBTune in as host Ed Modla and guest Dan Keegan of Option Thinker discuss using straddles as an investment strategy, the risks and rewards, plus how certain variables can impact pricing. Then later in the show, Ed will share resources for strategy selection and answer some of your listener questions.
OIC's Wide World of Options 67: Selling Options as an Investment Strategy
July 10, 2019 18:57 - 1 hour - 78.5 MBWWOO 67: Selling Options as an Investment Strategy Many investors focus on buying assets for their portfolios - but it takes buyers and sellers to make a market. And the truth is both sides have benefits, as well as risks. Join Cboe’s Jermal Chandler and Ed Modla on this rebroadcast from OIC’s webinar series for a discussion about the key aspects of the selling side of the trade.
OICs Wide World of Options 66: Three-Way Spreads and New Beginnings
June 21, 2019 16:06 - 32 minutes - 37.4 MBOn Strategy Spotlight, Joe Burgoyne chats with OIC Director of Retail Education, Ed Modla about the intricacies of the Three-Way Even Money Spread. Then, Joe takes a look back on his time with WWoO as he passes the torch to Ed who will be taking over hosting duties going forward.
OICs Wide World of Options 65: Trading a Bull Call Spread
June 03, 2019 19:06 - 32 minutes - 37.1 MBOn Strategy Spotlight, host Joe Burgoyne sits down with Senior Specialist Bill Ryan, a show regular and familiar voice from the OCC Investor Services desk. Together, they’ll discuss bull call spreads and when an investor might want to employ this event-targeted strategy. Then, Joe will take listener questions on strike prices and the options market.
OICs Wide World of Options 64: Debit Spreads and the OIC Website
April 30, 2019 20:54 - 29 minutes - 34.2 MBTune in as host Joe Burgoyne interviews Tony Zhang, Chief Strategist at OptionsPlay, about debit spreads. Learn the definitions and considerations that may be helpful when deploying this slightly complex strategy. Then, Joe will review valuable tools and resources that are currently available on OIC’s website.
OICs Wide World of Options 63: Demystifying Spread Strategies
March 27, 2019 17:23 - 28 minutes - 39 MBJermal Chandler, an instructor at Cboe Options Institute discusses his unique journey from chemist to trader. Then, he and host Joe Burgoyne will help to break down Ratio Spreads, Front Spreads and Backspreads. Later in the show, Joe will answer your listener questions.
OICs Wide World of Options 62: Strategy Considerations for a Volatile Market
March 12, 2019 18:52 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBJoin OIC host Joe Burgoyne and long-time OIC instructor, Bill Ryan as they discuss the short put and other bullish strategies that might be more challenging to implement in a volatile market.
OICs Wide World of Options 61: Panel - The Option Pros Tell All
February 14, 2019 17:21 - 1 hour - 90.2 MBJoin OIC for a lively discussion featuring our entire Investor Services team – these are the options professionals who help everyone with an interest in expanding their industry knowledge, from those who've never bought a single call to traders and advisors with years of experience. This session will be a showcase of the team, their services and their decades of combined experience with listed options.
OICs Wide World of Options 60: The Bull Call Spread and Fond Farewells
February 01, 2019 21:55 - 33 minutes - 46.6 MBHost Joe Burgoyne welcomes back OIC instructor Peter Lusk as he wraps up his illustrious career in the options industry with a discussion about the Bull Call Spread. Then, on Profiles & Perspectives, Joe interviews Andrew Giovinazzi, COO at the Option Pit.
OICs Wide World of Options 59 - Advanced Learning: Trading Talk With the Pros
January 10, 2019 05:13 - 56 minutes - 78.2 MBOICs Wide World of Options 59 - Advanced Learning: Trading Talk With the Pros No matter what we do, it helps to learn from the experts – it's as true with investing as it is with anything else. Join OIC for this opportunity to hear about options investing directly from the professionals. This show will feature a panel of traders describing how they think, how they manage risk and even how they adapt when they're wrong.
OICs Wide World of Options 58: The Iron Butterfly
December 27, 2018 16:45 - 44 minutes - 60.8 MBEd Modla of OICs Investor Services team joins Joe Burgoyne to break down the Iron Butterfly and what investors may want to consider when utilizing this complex credit strategy. Then on Profiles & Perspectives, Joe interviews OICs Vice President of Education, Paul Finnegan.
OICs Wide World of Options 57: Panel - How Do You Know When to Hedge?
December 14, 2018 16:33 - 57 minutes - 79.1 MBWWoO 57: Panel - How Do You Know When to Hedge? Many investors continue to wonder how long the bull market will last. After all, it began almost a decade ago. So does it make sense to consider hedging? Join OIC for a lively panel discussion, moderated by OIC Sr. Investor Services Specialist Mark Benzaquen, to learn how professional investors think about hedging.
OICs Wide World of Options 56: The Long Option Position
November 14, 2018 15:38 - 38 minutes - 52.6 MBDave Whitmore of E*Trade stops by to discuss strategies to consider when trading a long option position. Then host Joe Burgoyne chats with OIC's webinar producer Alex Osinga about how the team works to build engagement with its audience.
OICs Wide World of Options 55: Panel - To Spread or Not To Spread
October 23, 2018 20:47 - 56 minutes - 78 MBWhat makes more sense? Buying and selling straight calls and puts or creating a spread position? Join OIC and our panel of experts as they discuss this question to help you decide what is best for you. We'll also get into what strategies make the most sense for bullish and bearish situations.
OICs Wide World of Options 54: The Rebranding of OCC and Stock Repair
September 25, 2018 15:59 - 35 minutes - 49 MBOn Profiles & Perspectives, Lisamarie Lukas, OCC's VP of Corporate Communications, stops by to discuss OCC's recent rebranding efforts and how it ties to the organization's role as a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility. Then, Ed Modla of Investor Services will review the stock repair strategy and how investors can use it to manage a losing stock position.
OICs Wide World of Options 53: Options Pros Talk Technical Analysis
September 10, 2018 17:23 - 1 hour - 78.8 MBThis rebroadcast of OIC's webinar panel program discusses how options professionals use technical analysis as they are forming an opinion on underlying assets.
OICs Wide World of Options 52: Gamma Scalping
August 27, 2018 16:44 - 47 minutes - 54.7 MBAre you curious about what Gamma Scalping is and how you can use it as a part of your investment strategy? Host Joe Burgoyne has you covered as he welcomes Stan Freifeld of McMillan Analysis Corp who will discuss its trading methodologies. Also, Michael Thomsett, a prolific author of several options-related books, joins Joe for Profiles & Perspectives.
OICs Wide World of Options 51: Panel - Volatility, The Fuel That Moves Options
August 06, 2018 15:49 - 1 hour - 69.2 MBThis rebroadcast of OIC's webinar panel discussion covers why implied volatility levels drive options premiums and why it's important to trading and strategy session