Episodes

  • Wide World of Options: Volatility, Options Skew and….Kansas?
    May 2 2024

    What do volatility, options skew, and the great state of Kansas all have in common? They are all featured in the newest podcast from OIC’s WWoO. Tune in to this two-part episode as host Mark Benzaquen welcomes fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating to discuss all things volatility – including historical and implied volatility, volatility metrics and options skew, followed up by a conversation with Jay Soloff, the Lead Options Analyst of Magnifi as he talks the value of education and how a boy from Kansas rose through the ranks of options trading.

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    37 mins
  • Wide World of Options: A Return to Statistics, Covered Calls, and More
    Apr 4 2024

    In this two-part episode, OIC host Mark Benzaquen first welcomes OIC colleague Mat Cashman in a return to Statistics 101 as they discuss probability, standard deviation, and tail risk in options. Then we turn to a special segment with Dr. Alan Ellman of The Blue Collar Investor, for a conversation about the value of options education and Alan’s take on mistakes investors new to options might make. Be sure to listen in to this episode of Wide World of Options, where industry pros come to talk.

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    38 mins
  • Wide World of Options: The Greeks, New Listings, and More!
    Mar 7 2024

    In this latest, two-part episode, OIC instructor Roma Colwell joins show host, Mark Benzaquen to discuss the Greeks and their potential impact to trading options. And Dave Stuber from OCC’s Market Operations team drops in to discuss the process of listing new options on U.S. exchanges and how OCC systems maintain almost 1.5 million different options series each day. Tune in for this insightful and lively session that’s sure to appeal to investors of all levels.

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    34 mins
  • Wide World of Options: Options Pricing from a Dual Perspective
    Feb 1 2024

     For those new to options, certain aspects of pricing are difficult to understand. And for those more seasoned traders, even they might be left “in the dark” when it comes to the behind the scenes mechanics of OCC pricing determinations. Luckily, OIC has both covered. Join host Mark Benzaquen as he welcomes fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating and OCC Director Colin Fisher to discuss pricing basics and OCC’s margining processes in this lively and informative episode, sure to interest investors of all experience levels.

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    33 mins
  • Wide World of Options: New Year’s Resolutions and Options: What’s in Store for 2024!
    Jan 4 2024

    A New Year often brings with it new resolutions. If your resolution includes learning about options, The Options Industry Council and OIC’s Wide World of Options has you covered. In the first episode of 2024, host Mark Benzaquen explains the ins and outs of options fundamentals by defining options and discussing their potential uses. And as an added feature, Dave Nolan from OCC’s Member Services team joins the podcast to discuss OCC’s role in the marketplace.

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    22 mins
  • Wide World of Options: Equity vs. Index Options: Is There a Difference?
    Dec 7 2023

    When it comes to trading exchange-listed options, all may not be apples to apples. Different products may have different settlement styles, different exercise restrictions, and even differences in trading hours, among others. Join OIC host Mark Benzaquen and OIC instructor Roma Colwell as they breakdown the various differences, similarities, and possible uses for index options in this lively episode of OIC’s Wide World of Options.

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    21 mins
  • Wide World of Options: Ratio Spreads: Is More Really More? 
    Nov 2 2023

    Is there more to gain (or lose) when buying more options than you sell or selling more than you buy? And what about pricing—how do the Greeks and implied volatility factor into the mix? Join host Mark Benzaquen and fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating as they discuss, dissect, and deconstruct ratio spreads for stock repair and bullish and bearish forecasts, and uncover whether more is really more. 

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    34 mins
  • Wide World Of Options: How Are Options Priced? Making Sense of Volatility Skew and Relative Value
    Oct 3 2023

    Pop Quiz: Is a 10% out-of-the-money put priced similarly to an equally out-of-the-money call? And when it comes to risk, does the market value each strike the same? For answers to these questions and many more, tune into this OIC Wide World of Options episode as host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC instructor Mat Cashman to discuss implied volatility and various ways the market prices individual options.

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    27 mins