Knowledge

Theta in Options: A Deep Dive into Time Decay and its Impact on Option Pricing

Introduction to Theta in Options Trading Theta, commonly referred to in the world of finance as the time decay of an option, represents the rate at which an option loses value as time passes, assuming all other factors remain constant. As one of the Greek letters used in the financial sector, Theta plays an instrumental

The Mind Game: Mastering Emotions in Stock Trading – Part 1

TRADING PSYCHOLOGY – PART 1If you have been trading for any amount of time at all, it is certain you have at least heard of the term Trading Psychology. Even more, you have likely heard of its importance. We at BlackBoxStocks are in full agreement that this psychological element is one of the toughest aspects

Embracing Volatility: Mastering the Options Straddle Strategy

Volatility is often synonymous with risk for many traders, but when properly harnessed, it can lead to profitable opportunities. One such opportunity presents itself during the earnings season where the focus shifts from market direction to market volatility. Let’s dive deeper into a popular volatility-focused trading strategy: the Options Straddle Strategy. Exploring Volatility-Based Trading Strategies

Enhancing Your Trading with BlackBoxStocks Market Scanners

BlackBoxStocks presents the most robust market scanners in the trading sphere, designed to help the retail trader. These tools, which include premarket, market, and post-market stock scanners, provide the critical data you need to formulate informed trading hypotheses. This article will highlight how these scanners can boost both your intraday trades and your long-term investment

Unraveling the Art of Selling Naked Calls and Puts

Selling naked options – either calls or puts – is an essential aspect of trading that most investors may find intimidating due to the perceived risk involved. While the level of risk can indeed be high, understanding the fundamentals and implementing the right strategies can enable traders to navigate this field confidently. This article aims

Cobra Trades in the BlackBoxStocks Community – 500% Fridays

One exciting feature that sets the BlackBoxStocks community apart is a weekly trading event our moderators fondly term “500% Fridays.” This event embodies the thrill of trading, yet underscores the importance of strategic and responsible trading decisions. While not a recommended regular trading strategy, 500% Fridays introduce traders to the dynamic world of cobras. What

Understanding Long and Short Straddles vs. Strangles in Options Trading

In the world of options trading, understanding different trading strategies is crucial for success. Two popular strategies are straddles and strangles. Both straddles and strangles allow traders to profit from significant moves in a stock’s price, regardless of the direction. However, each has its unique characteristics. In this post, we’ll delve deeper into a comparison

Trading Concepts 101: Unraveling Support & Resistance

A deep understanding of support and resistance (S/R) is the keystone of profitable trading. Understanding what S/R is, how to map it accurately, and its correlation with volume, is vital. Delving into S/R, we explore its intricacies, applications across different trading time frames, and its influential role in trading decisions. DEMYSTIFYING SUPPORT AND RESISTANCE Support

Unraveling the Strangle Strategy in Options Trading

In the world of options trading, various strategies can be deployed depending on one’s market perspective and risk tolerance. Two cousin strategies that often get mentioned together are the Straddle and the Strangle. This piece will delve into the specifics of the Strangle strategy, dissecting its mechanics, potential profits and losses, and the conditions under

Our Knowledge and Articles

Unlocking Your Trading Potential: BlackBoxStocks

Teah's Photo Team Shot

Teah

Bender is an aggressive, yet disciplined options and futures trader with a primary focus on Technical Analysis.  These skill sets have allowed him the ability to trade ES_F at a very high level while simultaneously trading individual equities.

Bender has been a full-time trader for many years.  His uncanny knack for finding under the radar winners over the years has been exceptional, as has his desire to educate as he navigates the markets.

You will enjoy hearing Bender everyday live in our options room called Roadhouse.

Headshot of Trader Team Bender

Bender

Bender is an aggressive, yet disciplined options and futures trader with a primary focus on Technical Analysis.  These skill sets have allowed him the ability to trade ES_F at a very high level while simultaneously trading individual equities.

Bender has been a full-time trader for many years.  His uncanny knack for finding under the radar winners over the years has been exceptional, as has his desire to educate as he navigates the markets.

You will enjoy hearing Bender everyday live in our options room called Roadhouse.

Photo of Our trader Taylor

Taylor L

Taylor is an options day trader who uses options flow and technical analysis to find actionable trades.  He is comfortable in short term momentum type trades.

Taylor joined BlackBoxStocks as a member in 2018 and never looked back. Blackbox and its community were integral to Taylor’s success.

You can find Taylor live in our options trade room calling out actionable data and trades for the members.

Team Trader for BlackBox KJ

Krysten J

KJ’s background before becoming a full time trader was in digital media management and live production.   She also worked as a test pilot for Sea-doo.

KJ started as a member with Blackboxstocks in 2019, she quickly realized this was a community and platform like no other.  Her passion was a driving force to assist her in becoming a Team Trader in 2022.

KJ loves working on digital media content for Blackbox on multiple social platforms, analyzing the market, and helping educate new traders.

KJ can be found daily in our Blackbox Start chat room, discussing real time money flow that can move the markets.

Team Trader Mel Stone

Mel Stone

Mel is an Options trader and uses money flow as her main indicator.  She monitors and analyzes Dark Pool trading, Options Flow, and Phantom Prints. Mel focuses primarily on intraday trading and swing trading.

Mel has been trading for 5 years and started with the BlackBox team as a trial member in 2019. When she first started trading, she was drawn to what moved the markets and how to track the big money flow through monitoring dark pool and options flow.

You can find Mel broadcasting live on Blackbox every day as she helps members track and monitor money flow and align their own trades with large market participants.

Mike Downey

Mike is an Options and Futures day trader.  He uses Option flow and technical analysis to find trades.  He primarily focuses on intraday trading and scalping of positions.

Mike has been a full-time options trader for 5 years and has found a very consistent method of trading profitably. When he started with Blackbox, he gained knowledge from Team Traders and the BlackBox trading community.

You can find Mike live in the BlackBox Start trade room every day assisting members with trading strategies and finding trades.

Swan Headshot Team Trader

Jason Swan

Jason is an Options trader using a combination of Option Flow and Technical Chart Analysis to find trades.  He focuses primarily on intraday trading, holding a position for a as little a few minutes to a maximum of a few days.

Jason became a member of BlackBoxStocks in 2018 and quickly learned how to trade by using the features on the platform, and the knowledge he gained from the education and community at Blackbox. He is now a Blackbox Team Trader and publishes the Swan Daily Watchlist (#SwanDailyWL) to members providing them with daily trade ideas.

You can find Jason live in the BlackBox Start trade room every day assisting members with trading strategies and navigating the platform.

BlackBox Team Trader Kang

Steven Kang

Kang is an Options trader using technical analysis in his day trading.  He focuses on momentum breaks to the upside and downside.

Kang’s background spans 18+ years in banking and finance. After joining Blackbox in April 2018, he was able to ramp up quickly by leveraging the platform features and the experience of our diverse trading community.

Kang shares his knowledge through his technical analysis daily in our live options trading room.

Understanding the Greeks: OIC

Instructed by Options Industry Council

A deep look into the factors that create options pricing.  An option’s premium has two main components: intrinsic value and time value.

During this free presentation from OICSM, attendees will learn about:

  • Intrinsic Value (calls/puts)
  • Time Value
  • Major factors influencing options premium

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Options Pricing Explained

Instructed by Options Industry Council

A deep look into the factors that create options pricing.  An option’s premium has two main components: intrinsic value and time value.

During this free presentation from OICSM, attendees will learn about:

  • Intrinsic Value (calls/puts)
  • Time Value
  • Major factors influencing options premium

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Implied & Historical Volatility

Instructed by Options Industry Council

With any options strategy, there are two types of volatility to consider — historical and implied. Historical volatility is a measure of how much underlying movement has already transpired, while implied volatility, or IV, is an indication of how much change the market is expecting based on the option’s price.

During this free presentation from OICSM, attendees will learn about:

  • Implied and historical volatility essentials
  • IV rank and percentiles
  • Strategies for both low and high IV situations

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Short Term Options Explained

Instructed by Options Industry Council

While most options have a monthly expiration cycle, investors and traders are discovering the power of Weekly Options, or “Weeklys.” We take a look at the important differences and risks unique to Weeklys Options.

During this free presentation from OICSM, attendees will learn about:

  • What is a Weekly
  • What is a Monthly
  • Advantages/Disadvantages of short term options

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Insights for Options Core Concepts

Instructed by Options Industry Council

This webinar is great for investors that are new options or those that want a recap of options fundamentals.

This video will look at the difference between stock trading and options trading, why investors might choose to use options, and discuss various components of an option

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Options Strategies for Higher Volatility

Instructed by Options Industry Council

In this fast-moving, one-hour seminar, the Options Industry Council analyzes both high and low volatility strategies.

This session focuses on risk, potential payoff and breakeven points. Straddles, strangles, diagonals and credit spreads are a few of the exciting strategies that is covered in this quick, 60-minute session.

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBox Stocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Understanding Options for a Bull & Bear Market

Instructed by Options Industry Council

Bull and bear spreads, which are directional option strategies, could be the right choice for your investing style.

In this webinar, we’ll focus on vertical spreads – taking a look at how they’re constructed, what is the best target price for the underlying as we approach expiration, what risk factors you should consider and, of course, how much can you earn. We’ll also discuss how long to hold these positions.

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Options Adjustments

Instructed by Options Industry Council

Taking an options position can sometimes prove to be the easiest part of the trade process. But what happens next? How do you adjust your position when your opinion changes on the underlying, or when things change in the market? Options Industry Council will take you through five different call adjustment scenarios when the underlying moves up, along with their associated P&L prospects.

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

The Greeks

Instructed by Options Industry Council

When determining how options may react to a given change in some of the variable pricing inputs, investors turn to the Greeks for guidance. The most commonly used Greeks are Delta, Gamma, Theta, Vega, and Rho.

During this free presentation from OICSM, attendees will learn:

  • What the Greeks are
  • How to use them
  • Trading strategies

*Reminder:  The OIC is a non-profit organization, and the classes are free.  BlackBoxStocks does not charge for OIC classes nor is it directly implied that the OIC classes are included in the value of a BlackBoxStocks Inc membership/subscription.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Understanding Options Flow

Instructed by Teresa Arthur

This class is designed for the beginner and advanced trader, alike. Options flow can be confusing to beginners, as there is an abundance of information coming at you in a fast-paced environment.  This class will break down what it is and why it works, before covering the specifics of how we read the data and how to use it to find high probability trades.

This class takes a deep dive into everything related to options flow including:

  • What is options flow
  • Why it works
  • How to read it
  • How to use it to find high probability trades
  • How to set up filters for various trade opportunities
  • Checklist for high probability trades criteria
  • Q&A session

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

BlackBox Trading System - Options

Instructed by Teresa Arthur

This class is a complete in-depth walk-though of the powerful features of the BlackBox platform.

In this class you will learn how to use the following:

  • Options alerts
  • Scanners and data tables
  • charting tools and studies
  • Options Order Flow, Volume, Open Interest (OI), Heat Map, and Watch List features

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Options Basics

Instructed by Teresa Arthur

This class is designed to introduce you to the fundamental elements of trading Options.

In this class you will learn the following concepts:

  • Trading options
  • Fundamental & technical analysis
  • Support & resistance fundamentals
  • Order types: bid, ask, spread; shorting stocks
  • Risk management; risk/reward ratio; trading strategies; developing a trading plan
  • Brokerage account types; Pattern Day Trader (PDT rules)

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

BlackBox Trading System - Stocks

Instructed by Teresa Arthur

This class is a complete in-depth walk-though of the powerful features of the BlackBox platform.

In this class you will learn how to use the following:

  • Stock alerts
  • Scanners and data tables
  • charting tools and studies
  • real-time, multi-source news feed

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Technical Analysis 101

Instructed by Steven kang (Thuh Kang)

This class is designed to give members a basic overview of Technical Analysis & how to apply it to market conditions. One can increase profitability and accuracy by developing a greater understanding of technical concepts.

Topics that are covered in this course include:

  • The relationship between price action & volume
  • Using volatility to identify market & trend reversals
  • A familiarization of technical indicators
  • Identifying and trading using chart patterns
  • Support & Resistance
  • Identifying entries and exits for trades

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Dark Pool Basics

 

Instructed by Mel Stone

The Dark Pool Basics class will provide an overview of the dark pool exchanges as well as highlight the common misconceptions about dark pool trades.  We will take an in-depth walk-through of the BlackBox Stocks dark pool tools and features, as well as how to review dark pool activity in multiple time frames:

Topics discussed include:

  • What are Dark Pools
  • Why is it important
  • How to use Dark Pool data

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Stock Basics

 

Instructed by Teresa Arthur

This class is designed to introduce you to the fundamental elements of trading.

In this class you will learn the following concepts:

  • Trading stocks
  • The psychology of trading
  • Fundamental & technical analysis
  • Support & resistance fundamentals
  • Order types: bid, ask, spread; shorting stocks
  • Risk management; risk/reward ratio; trading strategies; developing a trading plan
  • Brokerage account types; Pattern Day Trader (PDT rules)

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Charting 101

 

Instructed by Teresa Arthur

This class is designed to introduce you to the basic concepts in charting financial assets.

In this class you will learn:

  • How to set up a chart
  • How to find Support/Resistance
  • How to read a chart, candles, and studies

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Intro to the Market

 

Instructed by Maria Chaudhry

Get ready to learn the basics of the Stock Market and investing.

Upon completion of this class, you will learn:

  • What a stock is
  • The importance of capital
  • The function of the stock market
  • How it all works

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 

Trading with Swan

 

Instructed by Jason Swan

Start your day with Swan.  This webinar takes place every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  We encourage you to take it at least once each week to assist you on your learning path to EARNING.  See why Blackboxstocks is the Ultimate Tool for Traders.

This is an interactive Screen share webinar.

  • This LIVE webinar shows you how we use the BlackBox system in our daily routine and trading, and if the setups are there, you will observe us making trades in real time.
  • The webinar starts with a brief overview of the entire platform.
  • Once the market opens, we talk through LIVE option flow and alerts, dissecting and explaining what we see and how to use the data.
  • You are invited to ask questions as they will be answered for you in this LIVE format.

Access unlimited classes by signing up for BlackBoxStocks today

 
Maria Chaudhry -Headshot Photo

Maria Chaudhry

Maria Chaudhry has extensive experience in financial services including 17 years of trading experience. Prior to joining BlackBoxStocks, Maria was a licensed stockbroker. She has worked for firms Charles Schwab, Scottrade, & TD Ameritrade Institutional.

Maria became a member of BlackBoxStocks in October 2016 and quickly became a well-known member of the Blackbox trading community. In 2017, Maria joined the BlackBoxStocks team as a moderator in their online community.

Maria spends her days trading with the BlackBoxStocks community as well educating and mentoring BlackBoxStocks members. In addition, Maria actively promotes Blackbox on multiple social media platforms to showcase the unique proprietary features and benefits of the platform.

Steven Khang (thuh Kang)

With 18+ years in banking and finance, Kang has extensive experience in managing teams, staff development, project management, and client engagement/retention. Kang loves to share all he has learned with others. Kang became a full-time BlackBox Team Trader in 2019 and now shares his knowledge through the Technical Analysis 101 class.  Many members take his class multiple times as they always learn something new.