Volatility Views

In this episode of Volatility Views, host Mark Longo checks in from the road at the Options Industry Conference (OIC) to break down a week of relentless market rallies and "upside crashes." Joining the show is Hans Albrecht from Option Pit, who steps into the hot seat to discuss why volatility isn't dropping despite the S&P 500 blowing past 7,300.
The duo explores the shifting market structure—from the rise of 0DTE (Zero Days to Expiration) options to the looming world of 24-hour options trading and AI-powered brokers. Plus, a look at the "Evil Hans" trope in fiction and why giving yourself "time to be wrong before you're right" is the ultimate trading edge.
Key Highlights Include:
The OIC Briefing: Predictions for 18 billion contracts in 2024 and the legal battle over "trades vs. bets" in prediction markets.

The Upside Crash: Why the VIX is staying bid even as markets hit all-time highs—and the parabolic moves in names like Micron.

Market Structure Shifts: The impact of CTAs, vol-targeting funds, and leveraged ETFs on daily closing imbalances.

Volatility Term Structure: A deep dive into the contango/slope and why the October "midterm" futures are worth watching.

VIX Options Flow: Analyzing the massive activity in June 65 calls and the unwinding of May upside verticals.

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The bulls are charging, and volatility is getting "taken to the woodshed." Join Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads (the "Volatility Closet" resident), and Mark Sebastian (the "Greasy Meatball") as they break down a massive week in the markets. From the "mother of all tech earnings weeks" to the generational spending on AI, the crew explores why the VIX remains under pressure despite global geopolitical turmoil and a hawkish-leaning Fed.
In this episode, the team dives into:
The Volatility Review: A post-mortem of the April markets, the impact of the FOMC meeting, and how mega-cap tech earnings are reshaping the volatility landscape.

VIX vs. VVIX: Russell analyzes the relationship between the VIX and the "Vol of Vol," and whether the current divergence is the ultimate fade signal.

Russell's Weekly Rundown: A look at the weird and wild trades hitting the tape, including a "penny" VIX binary and a 21-19-17 put fly.

The Crystal Ball: The guys place their bets on where the VIX cash will settle next week.

Pro Trading Crate: Announcing the April winner and the debut of Dan Passarelli's brand-new book.

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Is the traditional volatility conference a dying breed? This week on Volatility Views, host Mark Longo and the "Once, Future, and Present Dr. VIX," Russell Rhoads, dive into the shifting landscape of institutional trading events—from the legendary "swag mazes" of the CBOE Risk Management Conference (RMC) to the distinct lack of retail-friendly education in the space.
The duo breaks down a week of head-scratching market action where the S&P 500 hits new all-time highs while the VIX remains surprisingly "spicy" due to geopolitical uncertainty and ceasefire extensions.
Highlights include:
The RMC Swag Report: Russell reviews the high-end gear at this year's conference and the curious absence of electronic swag.

The VVIX/VIX Ratio: A deep dive into using this relationship as a hard trading indicator.

VIX Options Flow: Analysis of massive prints in the May and June cycles, including a rare 15,000-lot weekly trade that caught Russell's eye.

The "Hair Dryer" Hedge: A wild look at betting markets and a Polymarket trader who allegedly rigged a weather-based bet.

Crystal Ball: Mark and Russell place their bets on the VIX handle for next week.

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Is it "opposite day" in the financial markets? In this episode of Volatility Views, Mark Longo is joined by Russell Rhoads (Dr. VIX), Andrew Giovinazzi from Option Pit, and Scott Nations from Nations Indexes to deconstruct a wild week where bad news for the world seemingly became fuel for a massive equity rally.
The team dives deep into the "Bizarro" nature of the current landscape—where a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz resulted in a market surge and a ceasefire triggered explosive upside momentum.
Key topics include:
The Volatility Review: A look at VIX Cash levels, the collapse of VVIX, and the surprising lack of "flight to quality" in gold and treasuries.

Bizarro Markets: How the S&P 500 reached new highs despite crude oil remaining significantly elevated.

RMC Insights: Russell Rhoads shares his top-level takeaways from the latest Risk Management Conference (RMC), including the shift toward buffered ETFs and the latest research on VIX futures reactions to spot.

VIX Options Flow: A breakdown of massive volume in May and June strikes, including a look at the "Scott Nations Special" deep out-of-the-money calls.

The Crystal Ball: The team peers into the future to predict where the VIX and Volley will land next week.

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On this episode, Mark Longo, Russell Rhoads (the "Dr. VIX"), and Andrew Giovinazzi of Option Pit dive into a wild week in the vol markets. After a massive relief rally triggered by ceasefire headlines, the crew explores whether the "guns going silent" has permanently dampened the VIX or if we're just in a "hurry up and wait" market.
In this episode, we cover:
The Ceasefire Surge: How the S&P 500 roared back past 6,800 and what it meant for VIX cash and Volley.

Volatility Review: A breakdown of the 10-point VIX drop in two weeks and the "spicy" CPI numbers hitting the tape.

The Weekly Rundown: Russell breaks down a "Hall of Fame" trade—turning 9 cents into $1.60—and the rise of deep-in-the-money put spreads.

Futures & Curves: Is the return of contango an opportunity or a trap? Plus, a look at the October "Midterm Vol" and the front-month April futures.

The Crystal Ball: The team places their bets on where the VIX will land next week. Will we see a sub-20 handle or a weekend reversal?

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