Market Conditions7 min
What Is Options Skew and How to Use It
Options skew is the difference in implied volatility (IV) across strike prices at the same expiration date. In SPX, out-of-the-money puts consistently carry…
Bernardo Rocha
Tradematic Blog
Options strategies, automated trading insights, and market education.
Iron Condor Strategy8 min
Iron Condors on Russell 2000 (IWM): Key Considerations
The Russell 2000 offers iron condor traders a higher-volatility, higher-premium alternative to SPX. For options traders building income strategies, it…
Bernardo Rocha
Automated Trading7 min
How to Build Passive Income with $10,000 Using Options
"How do I build passive income with $10,000 using options?" is one of the most common questions in options trading communities. The honest answer: $10,000 can…
Bernardo Rocha
Options Education7 min
What Is the FIRE Movement and How Options Income Can Accelerate It
The FIRE movement — Financial Independence, Retire Early — is built on two numbers: 25x your annual expenses in invested assets, and a 4% annual withdrawal…
Bernardo Rocha
Automated Trading7 min
Day Trading vs Automated Options Trading: The Real Comparison
Day trading and automated options income are not variations of the same activity. They operate under fundamentally different structures, with different time…
Bernardo Rocha
Market Conditions7 min
What Is Smart Money in Trading and Can You Actually Follow It?
Introduction "Smart money" is one of trading's most persistent concepts. The idea: institutional investors, hedge funds, and corporate insiders possess…
Bernardo Rocha
Market Conditions8 min
Unusual Options Activity: Does Following It Actually Work?
Unusual options activity (UOA) refers to options trades where volume significantly exceeds average daily volume or open interest for a contract. UOA screeners…
Bernardo Rocha
Market Conditions7 min
The Delay Problem in Political Trading: Why Signals Arrive Too Late
Following congressional stock trades has become popular among retail traders. The premise is appealing: if members of Congress outperform the market, copy…
Bernardo Rocha
Options Education7 min
How to Trade Options in a Bear Market
Bear markets affect iron condors through two forces that pull in opposite directions: elevated IV increases the premium you can collect, while a persistent…
Bernardo Rocha
Risk Management7 min
What Is Maximum Drawdown and How to Set Your Limit
Maximum drawdown (MDD) is the largest peak-to-trough decline in account equity over a given period. Every systematic trader needs two distinct layers of risk…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy7 min
Iron Condors and Taxes: What Options Traders Should Know
The underlying you choose for your iron condor has real tax consequences. SPX options receive Section 1256 treatment — a 60/40 long-term/short-term split…
Bernardo Rocha
Options Education6 min
How to Make $1,000 a Month from Options Strategies
Making $1,000 per month from options requires working backward through the math. At a 2% monthly return — achievable with systematic iron condors in normal…
Bernardo Rocha