Welcome to the Daily Brief by Physik Invest, a soon-to-launch research, consulting, trading, and asset management solutions provider. Learn about our origin story here, and consider subscribing for daily updates on the critical contexts that could lend to future market movement. Take care, and let’s dig in.
Markets are mixed with equities under light pressure following OPEC+’s surprise oil production cut. It’s likely that Saudi Arabia “realized they were getting played [on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve refill] and took matters into their own hands,” some say.
As a recap, on Friday, measures of inflation abated. Though these measures remain high and support the context for rates to stay high, markets responded positively.
Expectations of interest rate cuts have been pulled forward based on markets like SOFR, correlated to existing money market rates, where traders’ demand for call options (i.e., bet on rates falling) reveals the fear of a heavy rate-cutting cycle.
Graphic: Retrieved from Bloomberg via @countdraghula.
The S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX) closed above $4,100.00 for the first time in months. Many quickly wrote about new bull markets blooming in previously depressed market areas most sensitive to monetary policymakers’ policymaking.
Recall, however, that during the dot-com bust, the Nasdaq 100 (INDEX: NDX) rallied ~20% numerous times before an actual bull market was born. Experts think the same thing is happening; the rally, partly driven by monetary policy expectations and the removal/monetization of downside protection, particularly in markets where traders were most concerned about a de-rate and volatility, is probably in its later stages.
The marginal benefit of any further volatility compression is far less than the cost one may incur by volatility expanding; “there isn’t much juice left to squeeze,” SpotGamma adds, and though short-biased volatility trades (e.g., sell options) could work for a bit longer, the risks remain, as explained on Friday. Rolling profits from the initially low- or no-cost call options structures we discussed last week into fixed-risk debit equity put options structures seem attractive. More to come. Hope you liked the new format!
Disclaimer
Please don’t use this free letter as advice; all content is for informational purposes, and derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. At this time, Capelj and Physik Invest, non-professional advisors, will never solicit others for capital or collect fees and disbursements. Separately, you may view this letter’s content calendar at this link.
The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 1000+ that read this report daily, below!
Graphic updated 8:00 AM ET. Sentiment Neutral if expected /ES open is inside of the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted; click here for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics Dark Pool Index (DIX) and Gamma (GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility. Learn the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.
Administrative
Good morning, team! Appreciate you opening up this email and reading through the newsletter.
Over the span of two or so years, on Substack and Physik Invest’s website, issued daily was this letter you, alongside about 1,000 others, are subscribed to.
This newsletter went from about 400 subscribers in July to 1,000 in October, a 150% increase. Thank you to fx:macro, The Morning Hark, The Transcript, and twenty others who, in large part, made that increase happen.
From hereon, gun to the head, I (your letter writer) can’t tell where this newsletter is going.
In short, this letter served as a tool for me to improve and keep me aware. It was years ago that markets were a dream I was in steadfast pursuit of; I sought mentorship, studied, saved money, and, ultimately, made it a successful full-time gig.
This letter helped keep me committed to continuous improvement. Sure the money was great, but how do you keep that flow when times get tough? That is something this letter helped me achieve. I hope it’s done the same for you.
At the same time, to weather the storms (periods of inactivity or low earnings while trading like now), I continued my work at places like Benzinga and SpotGamma.
Probably shaved a few years off my life expectancy but the effect was a net positive, I believe.
That said, in our own way, each and every one of us wants to level up, and that is what makes it difficult for me to promise where this newsletter may go. Speaking bluntly, I am faced with some good problems; e.g., should I raise money and build a fund? Work at an institution? Pivot to PE or, even, government work? Go back to school? Can’t tell you, yet.
What the next step will be I am not sure. Regardless, I intend to keep you fully in the loop.
As I set out and travel over the next 30 days, I’ll be doing a lot of thinking and, though the frequency of issued letters may change, briefly, the result may be better letters potentially spanning areas far beyond the S&P and the factors that are driving it.
Definitely am open to feedback. Appreciate you for joining the community and staying on board!
PS: Two things.
First, I’ll be in London and Lisbon over the next month. If you’re in either of the two cities, reach me on Telegram (@renatolcapelj) and/or Discord (Renato Capelj#8625).
Maybe a coffee?
Second, I spent the past half-year helping Benzinga build an awesome fintech event coming to New York City this December 8, 2022. Organizations such as FIS, Fireblocks, Truist, Symbiont, State Street, Vanguard, Northern Trust, Partisia, and Apex Clearing are a few that will be there.
If you want to network with the best, let me know and I’ll try to get you a ticket!
Regards,
Renato
Fundamental
An eventful week.
News, today, was focused on Federal Reserve (Fed) officials not planning to cut interest rates next year, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreeing to a supply cut, the UK mulling first-time home buyer program extensions, and Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS) seeking investment to help spin off its advisory and investment banking units.
Please check out the Physik Invest archives and upcoming letters for more on the impact.
Positioning
Bloomberg reported yesterday a big trade fired off mid-day propelling the S&P 500 higher into the close. The trade consisted of +20,000 OCT $4,500.00, +14,000 MAR $4,300.00 calls, and -48,000 JAN $4,500.00 calls.
The trade leaves the participant(s) with positive Delta. The other side has exposure to negative Delta meaning they lose money if the S&P 500 is higher, all else equal. To hedge this negative Delta, counterparties buy futures (positive Delta) and that has a positive impact.
According to SpotGamma, though, there needs to be more impactful bullish call repositioning or a market rise that’s large enough to solicit volatility-dampening hedging from counterparties.
Until the last-mentioned happens, the market may continue to balance in a larger range.
Technical
As of 8:00 AM ET, Thursday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the lower part of a negatively skewed overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.
In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.
Any activity above the $3,771.25 HVNode puts into play the $3,826.25 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the last-mentioned could reach as high as the $3,862.25 HVNode and $3,893.00 VPOC, or higher.
In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.
Any activity below the $3,771.25 HVNode puts into play the $3,722.50 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as low as the $3,671.00 VPOC and $3,610.75 HVNode, or lower.
Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.
Graphic: 65-minute profile chart of the Micro E-mini S&P 500 Futures.
Definitions
Volume Areas: A structurally sound market will build on areas of high volume (HVNodes). Should the market trend for long periods of time, it will lack sound structure, identified as low volume areas (LVNodes). LVNodes denote directional conviction and ought to offer support on any test.
If participants were to auction and find acceptance into areas of prior low volume (LVNodes), then future discovery ought to be volatile and quick as participants look to HVNodes for favorable entry or exit.
POCs: POCs are valuable as they denote areas where two-sided trade was most prevalent in a prior day session. Participants will respond to future tests of value as they offer favorable entry and exit.
About
After years of self-education, strategy development, mentorship, and trial-and-error, Renato Leonard Capelj began trading full-time and founded Physik Invest to detail his methods, research, and performance in the markets.
Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.
In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.
The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 980+ that read this report daily, below!
Graphic updated 8:30 AM ET. Sentiment Neutral if expected /ES open is inside of the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted; click here for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics Dark Pool Index (DIX) and Gamma (GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility. Learn the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.
Administrative
Ended last week on a strong note and started this week on a lighter, less impactful note.
Separately, due to travel commitments, there may be inconsistency in the frequency of posts in the coming weeks, particularly October 10-21, 2022.
Fundamental
A lot of noise this weekend. Top headlines and posts on social media concerned the stability of Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS), for one, which is slated to open about 5% lower today.
CEO Ulrich Koerner said the bank is at a “critical moment” while stressing stock prices did not reflect its “strong capital base and liquidity position.” The bank’s key capital ratio sits at 13.5%, higher than what Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB) had in 2016 when it was in trouble.
Graphic: Retrieved from Bloomberg. “Credit Suisse Group AG shares are now a “buy for the brave,” said Citigroup Inc. analysts on Monday.”
A hot topic, too, is the bank’s credit default swap (CDS) levels which “are still far from distressed and are part of a broad market selloff,” Bloomberg concludes.
For context, a CDS is a tool to hedge against the risk of some credit event (e.g., bankruptcy, a failure to pay, restructuring of debt, repudiation/moratorium, and obligation acceleration or an obligation default). The settlement of a CDS involves the exchanging of bonds for their par value or a cash payment equal to the difference between par and the bond’s market value.
Graphic: Retrieved from Bloomberg. “There is now a roughly 23% chance the bank defaults on its bonds within 5 years.” A CDS spread at – say 250 bps – “assuming a recovery of zero,” implies an annual default probability of 2.5%.
Moreover, in spite of all the discussion and debate online, “Credit Suisse is not creating anything like the angst we experienced [in 2008],” said columnist John Authers.
If no bailout is needed, “as the CEO’s memo endeavors to show, then all the talk has left it very much oversold.”
Graphic: Retrieved from Bloomberg. CS trades at less than book value (assets less liabilities).
In other news, Liz Truss, the Prime Minister of the UK, shifted her focus from some fiscal stimuli which “bec[ame] a distraction from [the] mission to get Britain moving.”
“Our focus now is on building a high growth economy that funds world-class public services, boosts wages, and creates opportunities across the country.”
For context, the last week was filled with excitement overseas, we explained in detail Monday through Friday.
In short, the announcement of new fiscal policies coincided with market volatility that prompted reflexive feedback loops and the risk of default among some pension schemes.
Some of those announcements were walked back and UK volatility eased.
Moving on.
Oil was bid on news that OPEC+ is considering a cut to production in excess of a million barrels per day. This is as they look to “pre-empt” potential surpluses amid waning demand and the sale of oil from the US’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) into November.
Graphic: Retrieved from CME Group Inc (NASDAQ: CME). “SPR release has helped tame oil prices.”
Waning demand is showing up in other areas; factor activity is falling on a slowdown, globally, as policymakers tighten and clamp down on excesses. Just yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that cargo shipowners were canceling sailings as shipping rates, discussed last week, plunged ~75%.
Positioning
Top of mind, for many, last week was the trade, repositioning, and/or removal of large options positions coinciding with the September Quarterly Options Expiration (OPEX).
Notwithstanding, per SpotGamma data, the “expiration isn’t particularly impressive” as there is likely far “more potential market impact” expected in October and December.
Graphic: Retrieved from SpotGamma.
Still, there was a removal of a lot of put Delta. SpotGamma sees counterparties as having positive Delta (directional) exposure via short put (i.e., meaning the trade loses money if the underlying trades lower). This opens the door to relief as counterparties reposition and trim exposure to their negative Delta (offsetting) hedges via futures and/or stock.
“We believe that the expiration of large put positions can be turning points for market rallies.”
Technical
As of 7:00 AM ET, Monday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the upper part of a balanced overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.
In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.
Any activity above the $3,610.75 HVNode puts into play the $3,653.00 VPOC. Initiative trade beyond the VPOC could reach as high as the $3,688.75 HVNode and $3,722.50 LVNode, or higher.
In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.
Any activity below the $3,610.75 HVNode puts into play the $3,554.75 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the last-mentioned could reach as low as the $3,506.25 and $3,444.75 HVNode, or lower.
Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.
Graphic: 65-minute profile chart of the Micro E-mini S&P 500 Futures.
Definitions
Volume Areas: A structurally sound market will build on areas of high volume (HVNodes). Should the market trend for long periods of time, it will lack sound structure, identified as low volume areas (LVNodes). LVNodes denote directional conviction and ought to offer support on any test.
If participants were to auction and find acceptance into areas of prior low volume (LVNodes), then future discovery ought to be volatile and quick as participants look to HVNodes for favorable entry or exit.
About
After years of self-education, strategy development, mentorship, and trial-and-error, Renato Leonard Capelj began trading full-time and founded Physik Invest to detail his methods, research, and performance in the markets.
Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.
In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.
