Friday, September 18, 2026 · Pre-market · Data: OptyTrades screener (prev. close)
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All four major indexes closed higher Thursday, led by Nasdaq, as AMD surged on AI chip demand signals and Generac locked in a landmark Amazon data-center deal — with VIX crashing through 16 to end near 15.4.
What happened
Thursday's session was broad and durable. Technology led with a median gain across the sector, and Healthcare ran with it on multiple single-stock catalysts. AMD jumped after cloud operator Nebius announced price increases for AI computing services, including a 25% hike for AMD's EPYC Genoa CPUs, according to The Motley Fool — a clear signal of sustained AI infrastructure demand. Generac surged after announcing an $8 billion long-term supply agreement with Amazon for backup power at AI data centers, also per The Motley Fool. Communication Services was the lone sector in the red, dragged by the names we track there. The 10-year Treasury yield eased, closing at 4.95% versus 5.01% the prior session, a six-basis-point relief that supported growth names. Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners by roughly 3 to 2.
| Index | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,637.76 | +1.14% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 26,418.30 | +1.69% |
| Dow Jones | 51,778.04 | +0.61% |
| Russell 2000 | 2,874.63 | +0.55% |
| VIX | 15.44 | -12.82% |
What it means for premium sellers
VIX closed at 15.44 — inside the Greed band — and is down more than 13% over the trailing week. The term-structure read is unavailable this morning, so the VIX level is the only vol signal in hand. SPY's options market is pricing about ±0.79% through Friday's expiry and ±2.78% through October 16. QQQ is pricing about ±1.05% through this Friday and ±3.83% through October 16. Premium is paying modestly; the environment rewards discipline on strike selection more than it rewards size.
Today and this week
No tier-1 economic releases are on the calendar today, Friday, September 18.
The next scheduled release in our calendar is weekly jobless claims on Wednesday, September 24 at 8:30 AM ET (for the prior week). No consensus figure was found in search, so none is offered here.
Overseas, the Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25% this morning — the highest level in 31 years. The decision was split 7-2, with board members Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato dissenting.
Experts pointed to the split decision as the reason for an uncharacteristic market reaction, suggesting the board may not take a too-hawkish stance going forward, per CNBC. The bank is navigating pressure from the United States to stop the yen from weakening while also monitoring domestic inflation, per the Japan Times. The BOJ's move follows a rate increase by the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The next FOMC decision is October 28 — 40 days away.
Earnings of note this week: Cintas reports Tuesday morning before the open; Yahoo consensus is $1.34 per share, and the options market is pricing about ±5.41%. Costco reports Thursday after the close; Yahoo consensus is $6.52 per share, and the options market is pricing about ±3.53%. Paychex also reports Tuesday morning — Yahoo consensus is $1.32 per share. No held positions report this week.
In the news
- AMD gained sharply after Nebius, a cloud operator, announced a 25% price hike for AMD's EPYC Genoa CPUs — a demand signal for AI computing capacity. The Motley Fool reported the stock rose 6.3% on the session.
- Generac surged after announcing an $8 billion long-term power generator supply agreement with Amazon for AI data centers; Amazon also received a warrant for over 1.6 million Generac shares, per The Motley Fool.
- Anthropic is expected to go public in October, with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley serving as lead advisors. Both banks reportedly generated $100 million each in fees from the SpaceX IPO, per The Motley Fool.
- 10-year Treasury yields near 5% are drawing fresh comparison to dividend stalwarts like Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble — with blue-chip yields now competing with risk-free government income, per The Motley Fool.
- Coca-Cola showed strong 2026 performance, gaining 26% on the year versus a modest gain for Meta, driven by steady earnings growth and product innovation, per Zacks.
- Taboola announced a deal to acquire Dianomi, a finance-focused digital advertising network, with the transaction expected to close before year-end, per GlobeNewswire.
- The wireless equipment sector — including Ubiquiti and InterDigital — is positioned to benefit from 5G deployment and IoT expansion, though margin pressure from supply chain disruption and inventory levels remain headwinds, per Zacks.
Names in play
Airlines and energy names dominate today's list, riding the sector rotation from Thursday's broad advance.
$DVN $48.72 Devon Energy Corporation
IV 37% · IV Rank 48 · IV/HV 1.09x · Wheel Score 78 · Assignment Quality 83 · Reports Nov 4
Reference: $47 put, Sep 25 (7 days, weekly) · $0.38/share · 0.81% on cash · 42.2%/yr · Δ 0.26 · open interest 491
Devon Energy sitting in the energy sector as crude remains elevated and producer cash flows draw attention.
$FCX $70.85 Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.
IV 46% · IV Rank 47 · IV/HV 0.98x · Wheel Score 77 · Assignment Quality 78 · Reports Oct 22 before the open
Reference: $68 put, Sep 25 (7 days, weekly) · $0.77/share · 1.13% on cash · 59%/yr · Δ 0.24 · open interest 334
Freeport-McMoRan lifted by copper demand tied to AI infrastructure and energy-transition materials spending.
$UAL $107.64 United Airlines Holdings, Inc.
IV 46% · IV Rank 45 · IV/HV 1.32x · Wheel Score 96 · Assignment Quality 68 · Reports Oct 21 after the close
Reference: $103 put, Sep 25 (7 days, weekly) · $0.93/share · 0.9% on cash · 47.1%/yr · Δ 0.21 · open interest 44 — thin
United Airlines pulled back from its 52-week high, with earnings growth accelerating into the fall travel season.
$LUV $40.34 Southwest Airlines Company
IV 40% · IV Rank 44 · IV/HV 1.3x · Wheel Score 90 · Assignment Quality 71 · Reports Oct 21 after the close
Reference: $39 put, Sep 25 (7 days, weekly) · $0.32/share · 0.82% on cash · 42.8%/yr · Δ 0.23 · open interest 537
Southwest Airlines off its highs, with a restructuring story and improving cost discipline drawing renewed interest.
$UBER $70.87 Uber Technologies, Inc.
IV 34% · IV Rank 34 · IV/HV 0.87x · Wheel Score 80 · Assignment Quality 66 · Reports Nov 3 before the open
Reference: $69 put, Sep 25 (7 days, weekly) · $0.61/share · 0.88% on cash · 46.1%/yr · Δ 0.26 · open interest 782
Uber pulled back from highs while the rideshare-versus-autonomous debate keeps the name in focus.
How the last five aged
Featured Sep 11 · 7 days ago
| Name | Then → now | Change | vs reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NU | $15.02 → $13.84 | -7.86% | below $14 put |
| LUV | $38.69 → $40.34 | +4.26% | above $35 put |
| HAL | $36.07 → $34.03 | -5.66% | above $34 put |
| UAL | $106.49 → $107.64 | +1.08% | above $97.5 put |
| ALLY | $42.17 → $40.60 | -3.72% | above $40 put |
LUV, UAL, and ALLY held above their reference strikes; NU slipped below its strike to $13.84 from a $14 reference, and HAL closed just above its $34 reference at $34.03 — a reminder that even names with cushion can test their levels across a volatile week.
Opty's books
- Opty Weekly v1 — winding down, 2 positions running to expiry; +10.80% on capital, +28.99% annualized, 93% wins
- Opty Ladder — 9 open; 51.8% deployed vs a 50% target (Greed band), over target so nothing new opens; +1.47% on capital (25 days old, too new to annualize), 100% wins
- Opty Monthly — 6 open; 55.2% deployed vs a 46% target (Greed band), over target so nothing new opens; +9.81% on capital, +26.33% annualized, 100% wins
Worth watching
- $PCG in Opty Ladder: $14 put (Sep 18), closed $13.38, 4.6% inside the strike, breakeven $13.75. A Recovery DCA lot: in the money is the intent.
- $CCL in Opty Ladder: $23 put (Sep 18), closed $22.17, 3.7% inside the strike, breakeven $22.52. A Recovery DCA lot: in the money is the intent.
- $UBER in Opty Ladder: $71 put (Sep 18), closed $70.87, 0.2% inside the strike, breakeven $70.27
- $NFLX in Opty Ladder: $74 put (Sep 18), closed $75.31, 1.7% of cushion
- $CMCSA in Opty Ladder: $25.5 put (Sep 18), closed $22.91, 11.3% inside the strike, breakeven $25.27
- $HOOD in Opty Ladder: $105 put (Sep 25), closed $109.81, 4.4% of cushion
- $NCLH in Opty Ladder: $14 put (Sep 25), closed $14.39, 2.7% of cushion
- $AFRM in Opty Monthly: $70 put (Oct 16), closed $70.28, 0.4% of cushion
- $CCL in Opty Monthly: $22 put (Oct 16), closed $22.17, 0.8% of cushion
- $CRDO in Opty Monthly: $200 put (Oct 16), closed $168.25, 18.9% inside the strike, breakeven $187.70
- $PCG in Opty Monthly: $13 put (Oct 16), closed $13.38, 2.8% of cushion
- $AEO in Opty Monthly: $15 put (Oct 16), closed $14.91, 0.6% inside the strike, breakeven $14.28
Jim's own book: +17.04% on account over 253 days, 92% wins (80W/7L). Track record →
Every position, priced live: the AI Trader page →
One thing worth knowing
Several puts in the books are in the money today — a good morning to remember that assignment is a feature, not a failure.
When "in the money" is not a loss
A short put going in the money is an assignment risk, not automatically a loss. The strike is where shares get put to the seller. The breakeven is the strike minus every dollar of premium collected on that name, and it is the breakeven that decides whether the position is underwater at expiry. Between those two prices, assignment happens and the trade is still ahead. That gap is why the wheel has a second half: assignment is the trade doing what it was structured to do, buying shares at a named price, at a discount by the premium already received.
⚠ Educational Only — Not Financial Advice
All market analysis and position data shared here is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this email constitutes financial advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Options trading involves significant risk of loss. Always conduct your own due diligence and consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions.