Here's a whirlwind update of my trading activity in the past few weeks:

The Financials - A Play in Volatility:

As I tweeted today, I unloaded some FAS (3x Leveraged Financials ETF) options after a 100% run since entry. FAS was up 10% at exercise and closed 5% down on the day; timing is everything! (I can't take credit for timing perfection; I had a couple minutes between activities and decided to do a trade).

This was part of a somewhat more complex hedged long option/short shares play described here.

Treasuries - Sold Short

As described here, the yields on treasuries are rising quickly, meaning the prices are dropping. This is like clockwork. Of late, between China's reluctance to continue to satisfy our appetite for debt and today's announcement that the Fed may not end up buying the Treasuries they initially hinted at, down we go. My play via TBT has been working out great; and the various plays I listed there are up for the year pretty well vs. a down market. For instance, TBT's up 30% YTD vs. 16% down for the S&P500.

Income from Options

My Google Credit Spread and Apple Covered Calls plays continue to work in my favor, as time value drops out of the options positions I sold. Great play for a sideways market (there are risks of course; outlined in each article!).

Central European Liquor!

On the Russia collapse, CEDC (background here when it was a high flyer; I had since unloaded fortunately) was completely crushed and overdone in my opinion. I had purchased some 7.5 calls for Jan 2010 expiry last week and the shares have been on fire since, up to 35% in the last 5 sessions alone.

GE

After taking a beating on my initial entry on GE, I doubled down last week and was handsomely rewarded. I went in with just two call options this time, but they're up nicely given GE's rally of late. WGEAU purchased at 2 at 3.70 now for 80% gain. Only a few hundred in profit, but it takes the bite out of the move down from 15 on shares.


I usually post these trades in real time via twitter, but this was a consolidated update. Make sure to follow for odd behavior like GOE up 400%+ in a month and other interesting action.

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