i usually mostly play the extremely volatile stuff with options...also did quite ok lately, which is no surprise given the wild swings. i have a list of about 20 stocks from which i choose...some , the very volatile ones (RIMM, ARBA, ITWO, SEBL, HGSI, to name a few...) i play with a very short term horizon, while using more of a sell-and-hold approach on the larger less volatile names like IBM, GE et al.
i would generally recommend (always keep in mind the option buyer is at a disadvantage) that one concentrate on a select group of stocks, get acquainted with how they and their options trade, and forget about all others. while that means one might miss opportunities elsewhere, it has the big advantage that one is trading stuff that one has a firm grasp of...i can e.g. tell at a glance if options on any of the POS's i trade are being given away, or are overpriced, or whatnot. i also know from watching the stocks which ones are trading heavy, implying there's more giving to come, or which ones do not...it's all a matter of garnering the experience by closely observing the same stuff day in day out imo.
i mention this in connection with your comment that you are at it only for two months...remember also, money management is important...often, people will get carried away by early successes in the options arena, and then take on unnecessary risk. also, one doesn't need to trade ALL the time...sometimes it's better to sit back and watch, as the best results are usually not achieved by playing every wiggle, but rather by positioning oneself at extreme junctures. |
