Volatility Views

The bulls are charging, and volatility is getting "taken to the woodshed." Join Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads (the "Volatility Closet" resident), and Mark Sebastian (the "Greasy Meatball") as they break down a massive week in the markets. From the "mother of all tech earnings weeks" to the generational spending on AI, the crew explores why the VIX remains under pressure despite global geopolitical turmoil and a hawkish-leaning Fed.

In this episode, the team dives into:

• The Volatility Review: A post-mortem of the April markets, the impact of the FOMC meeting, and how mega-cap tech earnings are reshaping the volatility landscape.

• VIX vs. VVIX: Russell analyzes the relationship between the VIX and the "Vol of Vol," and whether the current divergence is the ultimate fade signal.

• Russell's Weekly Rundown: A look at the weird and wild trades hitting the tape, including a "penny" VIX binary and a 21-19-17 put fly.

• The Crystal Ball: The guys place their bets on where the VIX cash will settle next week.

• Pro Trading Crate: Announcing the April winner and the debut of Dan Passarelli's brand-new book.

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Is the traditional volatility conference a dying breed? This week on Volatility Views, host Mark Longo and the "Once, Future, and Present Dr. VIX," Russell Rhoads, dive into the shifting landscape of institutional trading events—from the legendary "swag mazes" of the CBOE Risk Management Conference (RMC) to the distinct lack of retail-friendly education in the space.

The duo breaks down a week of head-scratching market action where the S&P 500 hits new all-time highs while the VIX remains surprisingly "spicy" due to geopolitical uncertainty and ceasefire extensions.

Highlights include:

• The RMC Swag Report: Russell reviews the high-end gear at this year's conference and the curious absence of electronic swag.

• The VVIX/VIX Ratio: A deep dive into using this relationship as a hard trading indicator.

• VIX Options Flow: Analysis of massive prints in the May and June cycles, including a rare 15,000-lot weekly trade that caught Russell's eye.

• The "Hair Dryer" Hedge: A wild look at betting markets and a Polymarket trader who allegedly rigged a weather-based bet.

• Crystal Ball: Mark and Russell place their bets on the VIX handle for next week.

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Is it "opposite day" in the financial markets? In this episode of Volatility Views, Mark Longo is joined by Russell Rhoads (Dr. VIX), Andrew Giovinazzi from Option Pit, and Scott Nations from Nations Indexes to deconstruct a wild week where bad news for the world seemingly became fuel for a massive equity rally.

The team dives deep into the "Bizarro" nature of the current landscape—where a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz resulted in a market surge and a ceasefire triggered explosive upside momentum.

Key topics include:

• The Volatility Review: A look at VIX Cash levels, the collapse of VVIX, and the surprising lack of "flight to quality" in gold and treasuries.

• Bizarro Markets: How the S&P 500 reached new highs despite crude oil remaining significantly elevated.

• RMC Insights: Russell Rhoads shares his top-level takeaways from the latest Risk Management Conference (RMC), including the shift toward buffered ETFs and the latest research on VIX futures reactions to spot.

• VIX Options Flow: A breakdown of massive volume in May and June strikes, including a look at the "Scott Nations Special" deep out-of-the-money calls.

• The Crystal Ball: The team peers into the future to predict where the VIX and Volley will land next week.

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On this episode, Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads (the "Dr. VIX"), and Andrew Giovinazzi of Option Pit dive into a wild week in the vol markets. After a massive relief rally triggered by ceasefire headlines, the crew explores whether the "guns going silent" has permanently dampened the VIX or if we're just in a "hurry up and wait" market.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Ceasefire Surge: How the S&P 500 roared back past 6,800 and what it meant for VIX cash and Volley.

• Volatility Review: A breakdown of the 10-point VIX drop in two weeks and the "spicy" CPI numbers hitting the tape.

• The Weekly Rundown: Russell breaks down a "Hall of Fame" trade—turning 9 cents into $1.60—and the rise of deep-in-the-money put spreads.

• Futures & Curves: Is the return of contango an opportunity or a trap? Plus, a look at the October "Midterm Vol" and the front-month April futures.

• The Crystal Ball: The team places their bets on where the VIX will land next week. Will we see a sub-20 handle or a weekend reversal?

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The "warm turns" mid-week as the post-Iran conflict pattern continues to haunt the markets. In this episode, Mark Longo, Mark Sebastian, and Dr. Russell Rhoads break down why the VIX is finally showing its teeth and whether the 30 handle is the new normal.

Inside this episode:

• The Volatility Review: A deep dive into the "Weekend Trade" dynamics, the spike in VVIX, and why the "bus drivers" of this market—Oil and Bonds—are screaming for attention.

• The Looming Specters: Analysis of the OECD's revised inflation forecasts and why the "R-word" (Recession) is starting to echo across Europe and the US.

• VIX Options Insight: Are the 15 puts dead? We look at the massive flow into April 20 and 19 puts, and the debut of some "psychologically relevant" strikes.

• Russell's Weekly Rundown: Dr. VIX explores the "most important election of our lifetime" trade and highlights a rare appearance of the April 39 calls.

• ETP Check-in: The shifting liquidity from UVXY to UVIX and how to manage the "ulcer index" in a backwardation environment.

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In this episode of Volatility Views, the crew breaks down a week of intense market swings driven by escalating Middle East conflict and a stunning shift in the Fed's long-term rate outlook. We also pay tribute to the legendary Chuck Norris (1940–2026) and discuss why his passing—and the spirit of Lone Wolf McQuade—is the perfect metaphor for today's "fighting" markets.

Key Topics Covered:

• The 2027 Pivot: Why the market is suddenly pricing in a "higher for much longer" regime, with the next potential rate move shifting toward late 2027.

• Geopolitical Volatility: How the Iran-Israel conflict and threats to oil supply chains are keeping the VIX term structure in a state of nervous backwardation.

• The Gretchen Bullseye: Russell Rhoads' model nails the VIX Cash settlement at 26.26. We look at the next prediction for the week ahead.

• The UVIX "Open-to-Open" Edge: A deep dive into Russell's new back-tested strategy for trading volatility ETPs over the weekend.

• VIX Option Flow: Analyzing the massive April 80 call interest and why the "May 47.5" trade just rolled to August.

Featured Guests:

• Mark Longo (The Options Insider)

• Andrew Giovinazzi (Option Pit)

• Russell Rhoads (VIX Expert & Author)

Links: Get more at TheOptionsInsider.com/Pro

It's a spooky Friday the 13th on the Options Insider Radio Network! This week, the panel gathers to dissect a market that is being haunted by more than just superstitions. From explosive moves in energy to a bond market that is sending shockwaves through the 60/40 portfolio, the "murderers' row" of vol experts covers it all.

On the Docket:

• The Energy "Memification": Mark Sebastian breaks down the "algo madness" in Crude Oil and why the move to $120 was a mechanical outlier.

• The Bond Market Cracks: Dr. Russell Rhoads and Jim Carroll discuss why "9 Vol" in the 10-year Treasury is the equivalent of a 40 VIX and what it means for interest rate expectations.

• VIX as a Passenger: Why the VIX is "yawning" at 27 despite the red across the screens.

• The Weekly Rundown: Dr. Rhoads reviews a litany of "crappy trades" and highlights a massive 20,000-lot mystery trade in the VIX weeklies.

• Crystal Ball: Will next week bring a "Jalapeño" spike or a "Vanilla" retreat? The team places their bets on the next VIX settlement.

Featuring:

• Host: Mark Longo, The Options Insider

• The Greasy Meatball: Mark Sebastian, Option Pit

• The Professor Dr. VIX: Dr. Russell Rhoads, IU Adjunct Professor

• The Vixologist: Jim Carroll, Ballast Rock Private Wealth

The VIX is screaming higher, hitting a 27 handle as the "Danger Zone" officially reopens. On this episode of Volatility Views, Mark Longo is joined by Russell Rhoads, Andrew Giovinazzi, and Matt Amberson to break down a chaotic week fueled by active conflict in the Middle East and a "charitably termed" terrible non-farm payrolls number. Plus, the legend himself, Kenny Loggins, returns to the program as volatility looks skyward.

On this episode, the panel dives into:

• The Volatility Review: Analyzing the 6-point spike in VIX Cash and the massive 15-point jump in the VVIX.

• The Oracle of New Hampshire: Matt Amberson (ORATS) explains why things are spicy enough for him to start buying straight puts.

• Russell Rhoads' Weekly Rundown: A deep dive into VIX option flow, including the massive interest in the March 20 puts and the July 60 calls.

• The Return of the Loggins: Kenny Loggins joins the show as the market flirts with "panic" territory and the backwardation deepens.

• Stagflation Worries: Andrew Giovinazzi and the team discuss why $90 oil and bad employment data are a nightmare for the Fed.

• Crystal Ball: The team makes their bold (and high) VIX prognostications for next week.

Tech wreckage is cutting the knees off the market, and the volatility panel is seeing red. This week, Mark Longo, Mark Sebastian, and Russell Rhoads dive into why the VIX is firming up despite the market sitting near all-time highs.

Topics Breakdown:

• The Inflation Ghost: Why hotter inflation data is spooking the vol curve and keeping VIX above 20.

• The March 35 Calls: Why is this strike dominating the tape every single day?

• UVIX Management: A deep dive into "The Riddle of UVIX." We workshop how to use covered calls to offset decay without capping your "catastrophe hedge" upside.

• Election Vol: The November VIX cycle has entered the chat. Is it too early to hedge the midterms?

• Institutional Skullduggery: Discussing the Jane Street/Bitcoin lawsuit and the "Goldman Sachs fist punch" in financials.

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Is the market teetering on the edge of a "seminal collapse"? On this episode of Volatility Views, Mark Longo, Mark Sebastian (the "Meatball"), and Russell Rhoads (Dr. VIX) break down a chaotic week in the vol markets. From the aftermath of a legendary "V-Death Match" on the Pro network to the Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs, the team explores why the VIX is hovering near 20 despite indices sitting near all-time highs.

• The Volatility Review: A deep dive into the "weird" market reaction following the Supreme Court tariff ruling, spicy PCE data, and the decoupling of the Mag Seven from the rest of the market.

• The Private Credit Fiasco: Mark Sebastian sounds the alarm on cross-asset margining, Bitcoin's "teetering" state, and the potential for a Michael Saylor "apology tour."

• The VIX Mothership: Analysis of the massive call buying in March, April, and even May 70/80 strikes. Is someone hedging for a black swan?

• Russell's Weekly Rundown: Breaking down the "best option trade ever seen" using July 100 calls to finance downside protection.

• The Weekend Trade: With carrier groups moving in the Gulf and geopolitical tensions rising, is it time to load up on UVIX?