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Nasdaq 100 Holds Record Highs as Yields Dip

By:Christopher Vecchio, CFA

Also, 30-year T-bond, silver, natural gas and Euro futures


Nasdaq 100, 30-year T-bond, silver, natural gas, Euro futures
Nasdaq 100, 30-year T-bond, silver, natural gas, Euro futures

  1. Nasdaq 100 E-mini futures (/NQ): +0.01% 

  2. 30-year T-bond futures (/ZB): +0.29% 

  3. Silver futures (/SI): +0.40% 

  4. Natural gas futures (/NG): +0.28% 

  5. Euro futures (/6E): -0.99% 


U.S. equity markets are holding onto their gains from yesterday which saw both the S&P 500 (/ESU4) and Nasdaq 100 (/NQU4) close at fresh record highs. Bond yields are coming back in despite a rise in energy prices, perhaps on a safe haven bid as the drumbeat of war intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah. Precious metals continue to tread water near critical support. In FX markets, the Japanese yen (/6JU4) continues to weaken as spot USD/JPY is rising back toward the 1990 high of 160.40. U.S. markets are closed tomorrow for the Juneteenth federal holiday. 


Symbol: Equities 

Daily Change 

/ESM4 

+0.01% 

/NQM4 

+0.06% 

/RTYM4 

-0.16% 

/YMM4 

-0.01% 


Nasdaq futures are slightly higher ahead of the open after retail sales data fueled rate cut bets, with swap markets leaning more toward two cuts on the data. The U.S. equity leader is on track to record a 9% gain this month, which would mark the best performance since November. Equity volume might be front-loaded today, given that U.S. markets are closed for a federal holiday on tomorrow. Lennar (LEN) fell 3% in pre-market trading after the home builder reported a subdued projection for projects.  

Strategy: (45DTE, ATM) 

Strikes 

POP 

Max Profit 

Max Loss 

Iron Condor  

Long 19000 p 

Short 19250 p 

Short 21250 c 

Long 21500 c 

59% 

+1385 

-3615 

Short Strangle 

Short 19250 p 

Short 21250 c 

67% 

+4930 

Short Put Vertical 

Long 19000 p 

Short 19250 p 

81% 

+745 

-4255 


Nasdaq 100 (/NQU4)


Symbol: Bonds 

Daily Change 

/ZTU4 

+0.09% 

/ZFU4 

+0.18% 

/ZNU4 

+0.21% 

/ZBU4 

+0.29% 

/UBU4 

+0.32% 


Bonds are up across the curve, with the 30-year T-bond future rising about 0.21% at the New York open. That sentiment may prevail until Thursday when we get data on initial jobless claims and U.S. housing starts. The Treasury is set to auction 20-year bonds today, normally scheduled for Wednesday. 

Strategy (38DTE, ATM) 

Strikes 

POP 

Max Profit 

Max Loss 

Iron Condor  

Long 113 p 

Short 115 p 

Short 123 c 

Long 125 c 

63% 

+468.75 

-1531.25 

Short Strangle 

Short 115 p 

Short 123 c 

68% 

+937.50 

Short Put Vertical 

Long 113 p 

Short 115 p 

88% 

+171.88 

-1828.13 


30-year T-bond future rising about 0.21%


Symbol: Metals 

Daily Change 

/GCQ4 

+0.15% 

/SIN4 

-0.24% 

/HGN4 

-0.89% 


Silver prices (/SIN4) advanced amid a softer dollar and lower Treasury yields. The metal has trended lower since May when prices hit levels not traded in over a decade, but the 50-day simple moving average (SMA) appears to be offering some support over the past few trading sessions. Thursday’s labor market data may provide the key to the metal’s next directional move.  


Strategy (37DTE, ATM) 

Strikes 

POP 

Max Profit 

Max Loss 

Iron Condor  

Long 27 p 

Short 27.25 p 

Short 32.75 c 

Long 33 c 

63% 

+375 

-875 

Short Strangle 

Short 27.25 p 

Short 32.75 c 

72% 

+3035 

Short Put Vertical 

Long 27 p 

Short 27.25 p 

81% 

+215 

-1035 


Silver prices (/SIN4)


Symbol: Energy 

Daily Change 

/CLQ4 

+0.3% 

/HON4 

+0.74% 

/NGN4 

+1.94% 

/RBN4 

+0.73% 


Natural gas futures (/NGN4) are retracing some of yesterday’s losses, rising about 1.9% this morning. Production is holding at about 100 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d), while demand has softened slightly over the past week. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts dry gas production will decline to 102.1 bcf/d in its short-term energy outlook (STEO). Stocks data is in focus, due out later this week. 

 

Strategy (38DTE, ATM) 

Strikes 

POP 

Max Profit 

Max Loss 

Iron Condor  

Long 2.75 p 

Short 2.8 p 

Short 3.1 c 

Long 3.13 c 

59% 

+310 

-190 

Short Strangle 

Short 2.8 p 

Short 3.13 c 

58% 

+3,000 

Short Put Vertical 

Long 2.75 p 

Short 2.8 p 

58% 

+220 

-280 


Natural gas futures (/NGN4)


Symbol: FX 

Daily Change 

/6AU4 

-0.37% 

/6BU4 

-0.06% 

/6CU4 

-0.08% 

/6EU4 

+0.14% 

/6JU4 

-0.46% 


Euro futures (/6EU4) advanced against a softer dollar backdrop after U.S. data softened the U.S. currency. The Eurozone will see a slew of economic data due out later this week, including consumer confidence and purchasing manager’s index (PMI) data, which could influence the currency’s direction. The Euro now makes up only 20% of global foreign exchange reserves, according to a report from the European Central Bank (ECB) released last week.  


Strategy (52DTE, ATM) 

Strikes 

POP 

Max Profit 

Max Loss 

Iron Condor  

Long 1.065 p 

Short 1.07 p 

Short 1.09 c 

Long 1.095 c 

32% 

+387.50 

-237.50 

Short Strangle 

Short 1.07 p 

Short 1.09 c 

54% 

+1,730 

Short Put Vertical 

Long 1.065 p 

Short 1.07 p 

73% 

+175 

-450 


Euro futures (/6EU4)



Christopher Vecchio, CFA, tastylive’s head of futures and forex, has been trading for nearly 20 years. He has consulted with multinational firms on FX hedging and lectured at Duke Law School on FX derivatives. Vecchio searches for high-convexity opportunities at the crossroads of macroeconomics and global politics. He hosts Futures Power Hour Monday-Friday and Let Me Explain on Tuesdays, and co-hosts Overtime, Monday-Thursday. @cvecchiofx

Thomas Westwater, a tastylive financial writer and analyst, has eight years of markets and trading experience. @fxwestwater

For live daily programming, market news and commentary, visit tastylive or the YouTube channels tastylive (for options traders), and tastyliveTrending for stocks, futures, forex & macro. 

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