Getty Images By Gregor Spilker & Emily Balsamo For the fifth consecutive year, trading activity in short-dated commodity options has set a new record. In 2025, the total average daily volume (ADV) for weekly options reached 79,221 contracts, a 17% increase over the previous record set in 2024. Since volume has more than quadrupled since 2020, this sustained growth trajectory suggests that the adop...
Getty Images By Gregor Spilker & Emily Balsamo For the fifth consecutive year, trading activity in short-dated commodity options has set a new record. In 2025, the total average daily volume (ADV) for weekly options reached 79,221 contracts, a 17% increase over the previous record set in 2024. Since volume has more than quadrupled since 2020, this sustained growth trajectory suggests that the adoption of weekly options is not merely a cyclical trend but a structural shift in the way participants trade commodity options. Driven by an environment characterized by heightened geopolitical instability and short-term volatility, traders and hedgers are seeking the precision of short-term instruments to complement traditional “once-a-month expiry” option contracts. The Macro Shift: Precision Over Duration The primary driver behind this shift is the need for granular exposure. In a period defined by rapid news cycles, the longer duration associated with monthly expiry schedules often needs to be complemented by managing event-specific risks. Weekly options, with expiries falling on each weekday from Monday through Friday, allow participants to isolate specific windows of volatility, such as central bank announcements or geopolitical developments, without incurring the time-value premium of longer-dated contracts. Three prominent market scenarios across the commodity landscape highlight this shift: 1. Geopolitical Risks and Crude Oil Over the last two years, the crude oil market has navigated a complex landscape of geopolitical shocks and shifting supply dynamics. A comparison of the month-over-month percentage change in the CME Group CVOL Index (a measure of 30-day implied volatility) against the month-over-month percentage change in total Weekly WTI options volume shows a robust and statistically significant positive correlation over this period. This strong relationship indicates that traders are notably more active in weekly options when volatility is on the move and sug...
NEW YORK, April 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Figure Technology Solutions (Nasdaq: FIGR; OPEN: FGRS), the leading blockchain-native capital marketplace for the origination, funding, sale, and trading of tokenized assets, today reported select preliminary operating data for the month and quarter ended March 31, 2026.
NEW YORK, April 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Figure Technology Solutions (Nasdaq: FIGR; OPEN: FGRS), the leading blockchain-native capital marketplace for the origination, funding, sale, and trading of tokenized assets, today reported select preliminary operating data for the month and quarter ended March 31, 2026.
When you're ready to buy your first cryptocurrency, it's basically a two-step process. To start, you'll need an account with either a broker that sells crypto or a crypto exchange, such as Coinbase or Gemini. That's the easy part. The next part is more challenging: picking a cryptocurrency and deciding how much to invest. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
When you're ready to buy your first cryptocurrency, it's basically a two-step process. To start, you'll need an account with either a broker that sells crypto or a crypto exchange, such as Coinbase or Gemini. That's the easy part. The next part is more challenging: picking a cryptocurrency and deciding how much to invest. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
Both iShares Gold Trust (NYSEMKT:IAU) and SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT:GLD) are designed to reflect the price of physical gold, offering a simple way to gain gold exposure without holding bullion. The main differences come down to cost, fund size, and trading liquidity, with both ETFs delivering almost identical gold price exposure and recent performance. This comparison focuses on how these two heav...
Both iShares Gold Trust (NYSEMKT:IAU) and SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT:GLD) are designed to reflect the price of physical gold, offering a simple way to gain gold exposure without holding bullion. The main differences come down to cost, fund size, and trading liquidity, with both ETFs delivering almost identical gold price exposure and recent performance. This comparison focuses on how these two heavyweight gold funds stack up on costs, performance, and trading characteristics for investors considering a gold allocation. Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Continue reading
President Trump announced yesterday that Pam Bondi is out as Attorney General. And, NASA's Artemis II has left Earth's orbit and is heading toward the moon. (Image credit: Matt McClain)
President Trump announced yesterday that Pam Bondi is out as Attorney General. And, NASA's Artemis II has left Earth's orbit and is heading toward the moon. (Image credit: Matt McClain)
Joby Aviation's (NYSE: JOBY) stock declined by 17.9% in March, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence . It came as part of a broad-based sell-off in risk assets (for reference, its peer , Archer Aviation , declined 27.4% over the same period), in line with the S&P 500's overall decline . Higher-risk assets are often sold off inordinately in such times, as there's a flight to safety....
Joby Aviation's (NYSE: JOBY) stock declined by 17.9% in March, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence . It came as part of a broad-based sell-off in risk assets (for reference, its peer , Archer Aviation , declined 27.4% over the same period), in line with the S&P 500's overall decline . Higher-risk assets are often sold off inordinately in such times, as there's a flight to safety. That said, it was a mixed month operationally for the company. Starting with the negative news, Joby and Archer, for that matter, are being impacted by the conflict in the Persian Gulf. In late February, just days before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, Joby and Uber announced Uber Air, which will allow customers to book Joby air taxis via the Uber app. Given that the first customers for the service were expected to be in Dubai, the announcement coudn't have come at a worse time. Archer was also targeting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for its piloted flights, and has deals in place to test and ultimately fly electric vertical take-off and landing ( eVTOL ) air taxis in Saudi Arabia as well. Unfortunately, until the conflict in the region is decisively resolved, Joby and Archer's plans are likely to be on hold. Continue reading
Key PointsThe S&P 500 has dropped more than 8% from its January high, breaking below its critical 200-day moving average for the first time in over a year as investors react to the war in Iran.
Key PointsThe S&P 500 has dropped more than 8% from its January high, breaking below its critical 200-day moving average for the first time in over a year as investors react to the war in Iran.
spawns/iStock via Getty Images Introduction In recent weeks, the Technology ( XLK ) sector has continued to slide where it entered into correction territory. In my opinion, this has a lot to do with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. While I expect more volatility in the near-term despite the Nasdaq ( NDAQ ) surging on potential news of the war ending soon , I'm continuing to dollar-cost ave...
spawns/iStock via Getty Images Introduction In recent weeks, the Technology ( XLK ) sector has continued to slide where it entered into correction territory. In my opinion, this has a lot to do with the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. While I expect more volatility in the near-term despite the Nasdaq ( NDAQ ) surging on potential news of the war ending soon , I'm continuing to dollar-cost average into some of my favorite growth ETFs. Going forward, I remain bullish on artificial intelligence and anticipate growth-focused ETFs see a strong run after the conflict with Iran gets resolved. But in the short to medium-term, these funds could see muted returns. In this article, I discuss the two ETFs I'm buying currently, and why both are attractive if you're focused on growth and have a long-term time horizon. Tech Stocks Headed For A Bear Market? Coming into 2026, the broader market had solid momentum after closing up more than 16% in 2025. Rate cut hopes were on the table. But now with the ongoing war and President Trump threatening to blow up Iran's oil wells if they fail to make a deal, we could see a bear market soon. Whether the two sides can come to an agreement remains to be seen, but investors are growing worried as the days go on. Currently, it appears many are raising cash. And while the market seems to be in oversold territory, I think we see a steeper sell-off if we do end up continuing operations in Iran. Bloomberg The main reason is because we are likely to see higher inflation. Coming into the new year, the market was pricing in interest rate cuts. Now, there's a potential to see rate hikes. If we do see a hike, I believe this will send the market into bear territory. But of course, a lot can change in a short amount of time. iREIT+HOYA My suggestion is investors have some cash readily available to take advantage of the buying opportunities I anticipate in the near to medium term. While I'm currently buying the two ETFs I discuss today in small batche...