Free Learning & Analysis Tools

Free Learning Tools

Dictionary

• Free Option Glossary - A comprehensive list of option-oriented terms and their definitions.

Educational Webinars/Videos

• The Basics of Options - A one hour discussion on the most basic option trading concepts.
• The Various Volatilities  - A one hour plus discussion on the similarities and differences between Historical Volatility, Future Predicted Volatility and the all important Implied Volatility.
• An Introduction to The Greeks - A one hour plus seminar explaining how your option positions will react to changes in price, time, volatility, etc.
• Profit with Delta Neutral Positions - Learn how to increase profits and reduce risk with this simple yet effective strategy.
• A Beautiful Equation  - A video detailing the formula for put/call parity that keeps the pricing of options in line.
• Probability and Expected Value - Learn to determine the optimal way to allocate your investment capital.
• Neutralizing Greeks - Learn to put on the option position you really want with this one hour seminar by head McMillan Mentoring director Stan Freifeld.
• Binary Options: The ByRDs Are Coming - an hour presentation by Stan Freifeld on the soon-to-be-listed Binary Return Derivatives.
• Binary Options: The ByRDs Are Coming  Part 2 - The second part to the Binary Return Derivitaves webinar.
• Early Exercise: Strengthen Your Position - Stan Freifeld discusses the different classes of exchange traded options and answers questions reagarding early exercise. 
• Exploring Calendar Spreads - It s About Time! - Stan Freifeld illustrates several of the nuances of the essential option strategy.

Educational Articles

• Option Trading Guidelines - An insightful article containing various guidelines that will generally keep you out of trouble, increase your efficiency of capital, and hopefully improve your chances of making money with options.
• What Are Options and Why Trade Them? - An article explaining the basics of options and the benefits of trading them.
• Which Option To Buy  - An article explaining what contract is best in various option-buying situations.
• About Put-Call Ratios - A helpful article detailing this powerful sentiment based contrarian indicator.
• Covered Call Writing: Why Cash-Based Put Selling is Superior - An article explaining why we prefer put-selling over the traditional covered writing.
• About Our Volatility Data - An instructional guide to our historical volatility, implied volatility, and composite implied volatility percentile data.
• Volatility Skew Information - An article explaining the different types of volatility skews and how you should trade them.
• Using The Probability Calculator to Analyze Naked Put-Sales - Lean how our Monte Carlo Simulation software can aid in choosing what puts to sell.
• Why Trade “The Market”? Just Trade “Volatility” Instead! - An article explaining why predicting volatility is more feasible than prediciting prices.
• Neutrality: It works for the Swiss - An article taken from the very first Option Strategist Newsletter covering the benefits of delta neutral option trading.
• Futures Options Take The Sting Out of Limit Moves - Learn how to hedge limit futures contract moves by hedging with equivalent futures options positions.
• Exiting a Put For Parity Near Expiration - A helpful article detailing what to do with your in-the-money puts at expiration and what to watch out for.
• Four Eye-Opening Facts About Naked Put Selling - an article detailing the benefits of this simple-yet-effective strategy.

Free Analysis Tools

Calculators

• Covered Call Writing Calculator - Calculate the rate of return in your cash or margin covered write positions.
• Free Probability Calculator - Calculate stock market probabilities with this easy to use simulation program.

Data

• Free Volatility Data - Historical Volatility data, Implied Volatility data, and the Current Implied Volatility Percentile for all stock, index and futures options updated weekly

Charts

• Weekly Charts - S&P 500 (SPX), CBOE Market Volatility Index (VIX), 21-Day Equity Only Put Call Ratio (PC21), and Weighted 21-Day Equity Only Put Call Ratio (PC21 w) charts updated each Friday

Tutorial Videos

• Option Workbench Tutorials - These recordings of the "Intro to Option WorkBench" and "Advanced Risk Analysis Using Option Workbench" webinars will help users understand and use the powerful Option Wokbench software.