The Option Block

Is the treasury market the new "war bond" front? As conflict-driven volatility continues to grip the markets, the Option Block panel gathers to break down a Monday session defined by crushing vol, shifting correlations, and a flight to safety.

Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw of St. Charles Wealth Management and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi from Option Pit to discuss whether we've entered a "sell the rally" regime reminiscent of the 1990s.

In this episode, the team dives into:

• The Trading Block: Why the "Grand Conciliatory Gesture" rally failed early, and why small caps are getting rotated into oblivion.

• The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Palantir (PLTR), a strange call play in Zoom Info (GTM), and a massive historical "home run" trade in Bilibili (BILI).

• The Strategy Block: How to play a 30 VIX using covered calls—should you sell at-the-money for premium or go further out-of-the-money for the eventual relief rally?

• Around the Block: Predictions on the "Strait of Hormuz" effect and whether the Fed has officially entered "punt mode" for the rest of 2026.

The markets are seeing red this Thursday, but the action in the pits is heating up. Join Mark Longo, Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz, and "Uncle Mike" Tosaw as they break down a wild session dominated by geopolitical tension, spiking energy prices, and some very curious "unusual activity."

In this episode, the panel dives into:

• The Trading Block: A look at the "Blood Red Thursday" playbook. With the S&P, Dow, and Nasdaq all sliding, why are VIX puts seeing massive volume? Plus, a look at the "Mag 10" and why small caps are finally feeling the heat.

• Suspicious Paper: The team revisits last week's look at Brown-Forman (BF.B). Was it luck, or did someone know something? The stock exploded 15% on merger rumors exactly as the unusual call activity predicted.

• Odd Block: Henry highlights unusual bullish flow in Momo (MOMO) and the high-juice world of Bit Deer (BTDR). Is it time to sell covered calls on crypto miners?

• Earnings Insight: Why "Love Sack" (LOVE) is the surprise winner of the day and what's expected for Nike's upcoming move.

• Mail Block: The listeners weigh in—will the Fed actually cut rates this year? The results are closer than you think.

The markets are shot out of a cannon this Monday! Host Mark Longo is joined by Uncle Mike Tosaw and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovanizzi to break down a wild "Bounce Back" session driven by shifting geopolitical headlines and "weekend risk" reversals.

On this episode, the panel dives into:

• The Trading Block: A massive reversal in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. Is the "Taco Trade" back in play? Plus, a look at VIX cash flirting with 26 and a surge in April 30 calls.

• Odd Block: Unusual activity in a newcomer—TetraTech (TTEK)–and a potential "rubber rebound" in Goodyear Tire (GT).

• Strategy Block: Uncle Mike shares a "tool for the toolbox" for covered call writers caught in a downtrend.

• Mail Block: The panel debates: Will the Fed actually cut rates again in 2026?

Plus, find out if you know what a "somnambulist" is in our 80s Trivia Challenge!

The "Thursday Effect" strikes again as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East send markets tumbling and volatility spiking. Host Mark Longo is back in the Chicago studio to break down a "Blood-Red Thursday" alongside "Uncle" Mike Tosaw and Henry "The Flowmaster" Schwartz.

The panel dives into the massive VIX rolls, the curious lack of a "flight to quality" in bonds and gold, and why the S&P 500 is struggling to hold the 6500 level. Plus, we look at why traders are suddenly piling into coal and spirits.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Trading Block: Market reaction to Middle East escalations, surging oil, and the VIX hitting 25.

• VIX Watch: A massive 250,000-contract roll in May/August 47.50 calls.

• The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) and a speculative flurry in Brown-Forman (BF.B).

• Mail Block: What's keeping traders up at night? Geopolitical risk vs. sky-high valuations.

• Around the Block: What to watch as we head into the weekend, including FedEx earnings and the "Oil VIX" (OVX).

Market volatility is feeling a bit like a Muppet Lab experiment gone wrong. In this episode, Mark Longo is broadcasting from the "Southern Studio" to join "Uncle" Mike Tosaw and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi for a deep dive into a green Monday that still feels a bit shaky.

On the Docket:

• The Trading Block: A look at the green start to the week, the S&P 500 vacillating around 6,700, and why the VIX is holding steady at 24. Plus, the panel discusses the impact of Middle East tensions and oil supply on the broader markets.

• The Odd Block: Why did someone bail on a massive long-term call position in KE Holdings (BEKE) after only two days? Also, a look back at a "cemented" winner in Cemex (CX).

• The Strategy Block: Uncle Mike discusses "Neutral-ish" strategies and how to get creative with strike selection and call spreads when your favorite stocks are underperforming.

• Around the Block: Predictions for Nvidia earnings, Fed speak, and the "lotto ticket" 30-strike VIX calls expiring this week.

Strap in for a high-octane episode of The Option Block as the All-Star panel breaks down a "day trader's paradise." Host Mark Longo is joined by "Uncle Mike" Tosaw (St. Charles Wealth Management) and "The Flowmaster" Henry Schwartz (Cboe Global Markets) to navigate a market defined by red screens, spiking crude oil, and the return of prediction markets.

In this episode, we dive into:

• The Trading Block: A look at the "wild and wooly" week in the markets, from the S&P 500 hovering at 6,700 to VIX hitting 35.

• The Prediction Game: Why binary event contracts on XSP are the "new hotness" and how Cboe is simplifying the options landscape for new traders.

• The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Mosaic (MOS), Barclays (BCS), and a massive 50% jump in Lightwave Logic (LWLG).

• Mail Block: The panel answers your questions on the Iran conflict's market impact and whether VIX 70 calls are a genius hedge or "WTF" territory.

• Around the Block: Predictions for the week ahead, including earnings from Adobe and Beyond Meat, and why "the only source of unbiased news is the S&P 500 chart."

Volatility is back with a vengeance! In this special episode, Mark Longo reports live from the FIA Boca Conference 2026 while the markets take a nosedive. As the S&P 500 flirts with red for the year and the VIX threatens the 30-handle, the All-Star panel breaks down the chaos.

Joining Mark to dissect the madness are Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi from OptionPit.com and "Uncle" Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management.

On This Episode:

• The Trading Block: A deep dive into the "Day Trader's Paradise." We discuss WTI breaking the $100 par strike, the resilience of the S&P 500, and why the small-caps (IWM) are turning back into a pumpkin.

• VIX Watch: Analyzing the massive paper hitting the tape, including heavy activity in the April 60 calls.

• The Odd Block: The Rock Lobster spots unusual activity in Wells Fargo (WFC), a massive closing trade in United Airlines (UAL), and the wild 38% surge in Hims & Hers (HIMS).

• Strategy Block: Uncle Mike schools us on Covered Call management in a falling market. Do you sit on your hands, buy a protective wing, or roll for time?

• Around the Block: Predictions for the rest of the week, including the "daily miasma" of oil prices and the "dark horse" potential of Silver and Gold.

Featured Broker: Tastytrade.com/podcasts Go Pro: TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

The markets are seeing red, and the "Flowmaster" Henry Schwartz is back to take the blame for another Thursday sell-off! Join Mark Longo, Uncle Mike Tosaw, and Henry Schwartz as they dissect a volatile session where the S&P 500 is testing key levels and the VIX is flirting with a 25 handle.

In this episode, the panel explores the unusual correlation of "risk-off" sentiment—where even gold and silver are being dumped alongside equities—and whether crypto is actually acting as the new flight-to-safety asset.

• The Trading Block: A deep dive into the VIX spike, the S&P's magnet-like attraction to the 6845 level, and a breakdown of February's record-breaking trading volume (1.32 billion contracts!).

• Sector Analysis: Why industrials (XLI) are leading the decline while energy (XLE) remains a lone green shoot.

• The Odd Block: Unusual activity in StubHub (STUB) following a post-earnings puke, a predictable "jelly roll" in Hertz (HTZ), and a curious call buyer in Warner Music Group (WMG).

• Crypto vs. Metals: Analyzing the surprising resilience of Bitcoin earlier in the week versus the traditional flight to quality in gold.

• Mail Block: The panel reviews listener sentiment on cheap VIX puts and how long the current geopolitical conflict will impact market volatility.

Despite a weekend filled with geopolitical turmoil and the outbreak of open war in the Middle East, the markets opened Monday with a surprising amount of resilience. Join Mark Longo, "Uncle" Mike Tosaw, and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi as they break down the "weekend risk" playbook and why the "fade the vol spike" strategy is winning the day.

In this episode, the panel discusses:

• The Trading Block: A look at the S&P, NASDAQ, and VIX. Why did the market go from red to green so quickly? Plus, a deep dive into the massive call activity in VIX and SPY.

• The Odd Block: Unusual activity in Nokia (NOK) and the "luxury pawn shop" The RealReal (REAL). Is someone betting on a major tech resurgence?

• Strategy Block: Uncle Mike breaks down the nuances of Delta weighting with Covered Calls. Learn how to capture premium without capping all your upside.

• Around the Block: Predictions for the week ahead, including earnings to watch: Best Buy, Target, Costco, and the volatile ASKS Space Mobile.

Plus: A special "80s Trivia Challenge" featuring a heated debate over the greatest tag team of all time and breaking WWE Hall of Fame news!

The markets are seeing red this Thursday as the "Mag 10" takes a hit. On this episode of The Option Block, Mark Longo is joined by Henry Schwartz from Cboe and Mike Tosaw from St. Charles Wealth Management to break down the carnage following NVIDIA's earnings—where even a stellar quarter wasn't enough to satisfy the bulls.

The team explores unusual activity in some unexpected names, including a "blast from the past" tech giant and a newcomer in the "Robot as a Service" space.

On the Docket:

• The Trading Block: NVIDIA's worst day in nearly a year. Henry Schwartz breaks down the VIX decomposition and S&P 500 skew, while Mike Tosaw looks at the "flight to safety" in Treasuries (TLT/IEF).

• The Odd Block: Why is there massive call paper in Blackberry (BB)? Plus, a look at the wild volume in Rich Tech Robotics (RRTX).

• Mail Block: The panel debates how to approach earnings season. Do you sell juice, buy juice, or avoid it altogether?

• Around the Block: What to watch for the rest of the week, from PPI data to macro geopolitical tensions in Iran.