VIX is sitting around 18 — elevated enough to give decent premium without being in full panic mode. Good environment for put selling. Earnings season winding down so assignment risk is lower. I'm staying with mega-caps and major ETFs only this week.
This Week's Watchlist
Strikes and premiums based on closing prices Friday. Always verify before entering.
| Ticker | Price | Strike | Expiration | Premium | Premium % | IV Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL My Pick | $189.40 | $182.50 | May 9 | $1.85 | 1.01% | 42 |
| NVDA | $875.20 | $840.00 | May 9 | $9.40 | 1.12% | 51 |
| AMD | $162.30 | $155.00 | May 9 | $2.10 | 1.35% | 58 |
| SPY | $519.60 | $505.00 | May 16 | $4.20 | 0.83% | 38 |
The Breakdown
Why each one made the list this week.
Why I like it: AAPL pulled back this week and IV ticked up with it. The $182.50 strike puts us about 3.6% below current price — solid cushion. I'd be comfortable owning AAPL at that level. Premium at just over 1% for a 12-day hold is clean. This is my primary trade this week.
Why I like it: IV Rank above 50 on NVDA is always interesting. The $840 strike is 4% out of the money. Higher capital requirement ($84,000 per contract) so position size matters here. Only enter if you have the buying power and would genuinely hold NVDA shares if assigned.
Why I like it: Best premium percentage on the list this week. IV Rank at 58 is elevated. Downside: AMD is more volatile than AAPL — if the market sells off hard this can move fast. Smaller position or tighter strike management needed.
Why I like it: Lower premium percentage but SPY is the safest on this list. Going out to May 16 to get a better premium. Good for accounts that want less single-stock risk. The $505 strike is 2.8% OTM.
Entering AAPL Monday morning if the price holds above $188. Watching NVDA for a possible entry mid-week if it dips. Not chasing if the market gaps up hard at open. Check back Friday for a position update.