Since IRONFLY is the flavour these days, sharing my own thread. It has GREEKS incorporated which automatically reduces wing size & risk.

P.S. No one specifically invented ironfly & it's adjustments. A good trader can figure it out on his own. I've been doing it on & off for yrs.

A THREAD

Topic: Why triple straddle has no real benefit.

A triple straddle is essentially an ATM Straddle & one or two step away straddle on either side. The position is almost neutral strategy just like any other neutral straddle or strangle.

1/

We can also view the position as an ATM straddle, a strangle & inverted strangle.

For example

Nifty: 14700

Triple straddle: 14600,14700,14800

Another view:

14700 straddle
14800-14600: strangle
14600-14800: Inverted strangle

2/

So the real question is what is the advantage of an inverted strangle over it's otm counterpart?

The answer is none.

They both have same premiums/theta. Only that slippages will be high in inverted strangle when we do the required adjustments plus liquidity issue.

3/

So isn't it better that instead of a triple straddle, we can just do ATM Straddle & 2* OTM strangle.

So in the above eg. the position will be

14700 ATM straddle
2* 14800-14600 otm strangle.

Same premium received, similar range just that there's no nuisance of ITM options.

4/

The question arises:

Why trade in an ATM straddle & 2* OTM Strangles? Why over-complicate?

Options are in itself a complicated instrument. Wouldn't it be better to stick to one straddle or a strangle & adjust accordingly?

Lesser the strikes, more there will be clarity.

5/

Q: Sir why call option premiums are higher the put?

A: It usually happens when there is big difference between spot & future.

Example

BN Spot: 35110
BN Future: 35300
BN Synthetic Future: 35150

It depends on our perception of what is ATM & accordingly match the calls & puts.

A THREAD

Topic: HOW TO TRADE IN RISING PREMIUMS SCENARIO

Option sellers specially Straddle sellers feel that rising premiums give them excellent opportunity to make easy money. So what they are seeing is the theta aspect of options & ignoring the delta/gamma/vega forces.

1/

With rising premiums come high delta moves. There is a reason why premiums are all increasing up in the first place. High uncertainty & fear is what's controlling the markets during such times. So a volatile 200 point move in nifty is always on the cards.

2/

Adjusting during such delta moves involves high slippages. Such costs go in our system & are irrecoverable. So if the ATM straddle is around 400 & after 200 point downmove, the next straddle is at 450 & the loss is not just 50points but compounded much more.

3/

Also there are chances that there is no decay throughout the day. So a straddle seller has to take that heavy risk of carrying it forward & chances of gap openings are high during such times. If converted into Ironfly, then the cost of the wings is too expensive.

4/

Thus cutting down the initial credit significantly.

There will also be very few instances when premiums don't fall till expiry day. So with each delta move the cost of holding a straddle gets accumulated & pressure keeps mounting for the stubborn option sellers.

5/

10 mistakes in my 14 years of trading as an option seller 🧵

1. Staying neutral all the time. Majority of the years i have been a neutral option seller. I now realise that having a little sense of direction would have given me an added advantage with better utilisation of capital & also leverage (till the time it was available).

2. Too much importance on adjustments. Initially like most of the new option sellers, i had this notion that i can perfect my adjustment skills for any market conditions. Ofcourse i was wrong. Market is supreme & we need to respect it at times.

3. Not giving importance to greeks. For initial 6 years i didn't even know the existence of greeks. Since i started using them, option selling has become rather less complicated on the contrary of what most people believe.

4. Having too much confidence on the certainty of theta decay. Enough is said about it already. Theta decay is not an edge.

Catch me if you can @Mitesh_Engr

Time for a🧵
Mitesh Sir's EXPIRY Option Selling 101:
• What to look for?
• Strike Selection & Ratios
• SL mgmt
• Avoiding freezes
• Monthy Expiry
• Event days
• How he would have traded last expiry?

In collaboration with @AdityaTodmal

Edward de Bono says intelligence is like a🚗 Automobile

“A powerful car may be driven badly. A less powerful car may be driven well. The skill of the car driver determines how the power of the car is used.”

What @Mitesh_Engr Sir looks at for Expiry Trading:

• Technicals of BNF
• Individual Heavyweight stocks of BNF
• Support/Resistance of BNF on weekly TF
• Also has Superb SL management
• When it comes to adjustments, he is always on toes

How to Select Strikes to Sell?

• You can't sell based on premium
• Follow only trend
• Price action is best to sell on expiry day
• Never wait for the options to go to zero

Using Ratios to Sell:

• If BNF is in a range then strangles
• If breakout/ breakdown from a range then directional
• Selling 70/30 or 80/20 ratios
• 2 examples on how he used ratios

**Options Strategies Broaden Your Range of Trades**

1/n

Going Long Calls/Puts are the plays most retail traders use (equity trader strategies, higher leverage/lower margin)

The beauty of options is there are many more ways to profit, beyond pure directional bias.

#MomoTwit

2/n *Quick Review of Options*

Options are a derivative contract which allows the holder to buy/sell the underlying at a determined price by a certain expiration date.

Options Greeks (delta, gamma, vega, theta) affect contract P/L based on changes in volatility, time, & price.

3/n -Covered Calls-

If you have 100 shares of XYZ stock, you could short a call contract, w/ your shares as collateral. Strategy allows you to collect premium.

Either your call expires worthless or it closes ITM. If ITM you sell the shares at the strike price of ur short call

4/n Generally, you employ a covered call strategy when you have a near/short term neutral/bearish view on your position. Thus this allows you to collect money/premium or hedge when the stock is not rallying.

5/n -Straddle-

This is where the trader buys a call & put at the same strike price and expiration date. You would do this when u expect a large move outside the expected range in *either* direction

You will lose on this trade if the stock does not move/stays within a range.

The Straddle is my favorite trade these days. But more often than not, one needs to adjust to make a good return from it. There are many ways to do this depending on your view, psychology and imagination. Will discuss a few that I use

The Straddle is a delta neutral strategy and it is important to keep deltas in check during the course of the Trade and not let them run away from you. Of course Volatility is the elephant in the room- but not going there as that will require a separate discussion

The first and most common method is to go 'inverted.' That is to say to shift the untested side to generate additional Premium and increase the runway to Breakeven. So if you start with a Straddle at 700 and price goes to 740, you can move the PE up to say 720.

How much should you move the untested side? While again this is a matter of skill, experience and artistry, the rule of thumb is to cut deltas by half. Remember, prices will move and you have to allow sufficient room for them to fluctuate

The second method is to shift the entire Straddle in the direction of the move. So if you have a 700 Straddle and Price goes to 740, you can shift the Straddle to 720. If you time this right, it can generally be done at virtually no cost or minimal cost.