New position: ODAX Dec 2017 Credit Put Spread

Summary

This morning, after about 5% decline in ten days or so and the IV (Implicit volatility) at 16, I opened a 12200 - 11800 Credit Put Spread aiming for the December expiration cycle.

DAX on November 15th 2017. Source Investing

Only 30 days until expiration and not too much delta, so the credit received is rather small. I´m betting on some sideways action on the former 12800-12900 resistance level.

Closed: Nov 2017 Iron Condor + Dec Debit Spreads

Summary

Finally, after yet another break upwards, I closed the November 2017 Iron Condor to a full loss. Additionally, I closed the November "auxiliary" debit spreads for a tiny win.

DAX on November 1st 2017. Source Investing

All in all, all 2017 gains in my account were wiped out, while the index in gaining more than 16%. Some thoughts on this below.

ODAX November 2017 Iron Condor adjustment (VI)

Summary

Today, I moved the put leg further up, trying to reduce the damage as much as possible. Now, the trade is mathematically a loser and the minimum loss matches the loss I should have taken when the call leg reached 30 delta. Something to learn for future trades.

DAX on October 27th. Source Investing

I will try to reduce the loss as much as possible, possibly rolling the put leg again if the climb continues. The loss in account terms ranges from 1,5% to 7,6%.

ODAX Dec 2017 Bear Put Spread

Summary

Today, early in the morning, I bought a ODAX Dec 2017 12650-12600 Bear Put Spread. By definition, this trade is a debit spread, which means that I had to pay 51,5€ to open it while it has a limited maximum profit of 199,5€. Those 51,5€ also represent the maximum loss and there is also a low probability of success (the market actually needs to go in my favor before December 17 to make a profit).

DAX on Oct 19 2017 Source Investing

The idea here is betting on a pullback risking little capital. Volatility is too low to open a Credit Put Spread while I already have too much upside expose with the infamous November Iron Condor.

ODAX November 2017 Iron Condor adjustment (V)

Summary

30 days remain until November option expiration day and I keep struggling with the Iron Condor deployed at 12800-13200 (about 250 point ITM - In the money). As I collected half of the credit deployed for the 12450-12000 Put Spread, I deployed a new one at 12800-12400.

DAX on October 18th 2017. Source investig

Break-even points are 12932 on the upside and 12668 on the downside. I will happily close the whole thing if we approach to the mid 12900s as time value is getting smaller and smaller. If not, I will try to reduce the max loss figure, which is a scenario more likely to happen day after day.

ODAX November 2017 Iron Condor adjustment (IV)

Summary

Disaster mode, with the Call leg almost halfway to the point of reaching max losses. Unlike I said on the last adjustment, I could not pay attention to the markets last Monday, so I did not close the position when it reached the "in the money" level, and now it sits 150 points in the money.

As there is still time-value in the options, I am going to bet a pullback to the 12800 level (the previous resistance) while I rolled the Put leg further up (from 12000-11600 to 12450-12000). If I am wrong, the price to pay will be jeopardizing all the profits made this year and a couple of hundred of Euros more.

DAX on October 10th. Source Investing

The November 2017 12800 Call sits at 63 delta and the 13200 Call sits at 25 delta. Accounting the credit collected, break-even point is at 12910.

ODAX November 2017 Iron Condor adjustment (III)

Summary

DAX keeps climbing and the Call leg of the trade is getting really close to the money, so I made the last adjustment before closing it. I rolled the put leg from 11500 to 12000.

There are still 50 days to go, so we are three weeks away from the usual 30 days mark when I like to close the trades. Let´s see if I can hold until then and I might break even for this month.

DAX on September 29th. Source Investing

Pretty nice climb during this month, all the way from 11950. Let´s see if the previous 12800 maximum value holds and we have a pullback that allows to close the position in a better condition. If not, I will close it for the bigger loss of 2017 (so far).