Shorting Volatility is Bigger, and Riskier, Than Ever

Posted On October 22, 2019 2:21 pm
By: Steve Smith

Selling option premium or shorting volatility has often been compared to picking up dimes in front of a steamroller. Despite the risks and the not-too-distant blow-up of VIX- related products earlier this year, more money than ever is piling into these strategies.

And recent reports and data suggest that returns are shrinking, meaning people are now picking up pennies at the risk of being flattened by an adverse event.

The… Continue reading at StockNews.com

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About author

Steve Smith

Steve Smith have been involved in all facets of the investment industry in a variety of roles ranging from speculator, educator, manager and advisor. This has taken him from the trading floors of Chicago to hedge funds on Wall Street to the world online. From 1987 to 1996, he served as a market maker at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange (CBOE) and Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). From 1997 to 2007, he was a Senior Columnist and Managing Editor for TheStreet.com, handling their Option Alert and Short Report newsletters. The Option Alert was awarded the MIN “best business newsletter” in 2006. From 2009 to 2013, Smith was a Senior Columnist and Managing Editor for Minyanville’s OptionSmith newsletter, as well as a Risk Manager Consultant for New Vernon Capital LLC. Smith acted as an advisor to build models and option strategies to reduce portfolio exposure and enhance returns for the four main funds. Since 2015, he has worked for Adam Mesh Trading Group. There, he has managed Options360 and Earning 360, been co-leader of Option Academy, and contributed to The Option Specialist website.