Below is a daily/weekly chart of Union Pacific Corporation (UNP), $105.34.
Trade: Under $104.87, consider shorting Aug (8/18) $110/115 bear call spread (28 DTE) for a limit of $.45/share (currently $.49/share).
Technical Setup: Breakdown daily/weekly with Major Resistance overhead.
Option Strategy: Bear Call Credit Spread (BCS). Defined risk strategy where you make maximum profit (net credit received) if the stock closes below the short call strike at expiration. We sell call strike price above resistance where the pattern suggests that the stock will not close above at expiry, and simultaneously purchase higher strike call than the one sold as a hedge and to reduce margin.
The return on investment (ROI) is the credit received divided by the maximum loss (i.e., width of strike prices less premium received). The break-even is the short strike price plus credit received (i.e., also your cost basis if assigned the stock).
Considered a mildly bearish strategy since we are not buying puts (or shorting stock) and just calling a short-term top in the pattern. Trade has positive theta (meaning you make money on time decay) making it a high probability trade since we time entry with the technical pattern.
Max Gain on Call Spread: Credit received. Cost basis if assigned is lower strike plus Credit.
Stop Loss: $110.12.
Below is a daily/weekly chart of FedEx Corporation (FDX), $210.73.
Trade: Under $210.00, consider shorting Aug (8/18) $220/230 bear call spread (28 DTE) for a limit of $.77/share (currently $.85/share).
Technical Setup: Breakdown daily, bear gap weekly from Climactic Sell Setup.
Option Strategy: Bear Call Credit Spread (BCS). Defined risk strategy where you make maximum profit (net credit received) if the stock closes below the short call strike at expiration. We sell call strike price above resistance where the pattern suggests that the stock will not close above at expiry, and simultaneously purchase higher strike call than the one sold as a hedge and to reduce margin.
The return on investment (ROI) is the credit received divided by the maximum loss (i.e., width of strike prices less premium received). The break-even is the short strike price plus credit received (i.e., also your cost basis if assigned the stock).
Considered a mildly bearish strategy since we are not buying puts (or shorting stock) and just calling a short-term top in the pattern. Trade has positive theta (meaning you make money on time decay) making it a high probability trade since we time entry with the technical pattern.
Max Gain on Call Spread: Credit received. Cost basis if assigned is lower strike plus Credit.
Stop Loss: $220.12.
Happy trading! If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail Greg Capra at Greg@mastertrader.com or Dan Gibby at Dan@mastertrader.com
All the best,
Greg Capra
Managing Director and Pristine Founder
Dan Gibby
Chief Options Strategist
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