The Skinny On Options Math

What is the Momentum of an Underlying?

| Jun 4, 2015
Up Next
    The Skinny On Options Math

    What is the Momentum of an Underlying?

    Jun 4, 2015

    Today, on this segment of "The Skinny On Options Math" Sosnoff and Tony Battista are joined by Jacob Perlman as Jacob explains the math behind these momentum moves. Tom started by saying how neat Jacob looked today. Tom joked, "You didn't ride your bike today? Because when you ride your bike you look 'challenged'."

    What is the momentum of an underlying? Momentum is a tool in technical analysis, originally introduced in the same text as RSI. It is defined as the difference between the current price of an underlying and it's closing price at some fixed point in the past.

    Technical analysts use the momentum of an underlying, often in concert with other technical tools, to look for "entry or exit signals." They view positive momentum as a sign that the underlying will continue increasing. Of course, unless an underlying is at an all time high or all time low, adjusting N (number of days) is able to change the momentum of a giving underlying from positive to negative.

    Jacob explained that, "The momentum of an underlying requires you to also specify some specific time to calculate it with. It's the closing price from the past versus the current price." Jacob continued, "It's not momentum in the same sense that a physical object has momentum. It's just a word being used for a defined quantity on stocks, which is why I like calling it N-momentum (number of days momentum)." Jacob's goal was to determine whether or not stock momentum was useful.

    Jacob said that momentum cannot have any predictive power. He said, "In fact, attempting to use whether momentum is positive or negative as a signal to execute a trade is exactly like trying to go long every time the underlying goes up and short everytime it goes down, except that you only do this when momentum crosses from positive to negative; still for Black-Scholes or Black-Sholes like underlyings, you expect infinitely many crossings adjacent to any given crossing."

    Jacob's takeaway was that, "it was almost perfectly useless." Jacob's take was they are not useful and the user of such studies has only a 50/50 chance of being right. Check out the segment to get a deeper understanding of how momentum really works!

    This video and its content are provided solely by tastylive, Inc. (“tastylive”) and are for informational and educational purposes only. tastylive was previously known as tastytrade, Inc. (“tastytrade”). This video and its content were created prior to the legal name change of tastylive. As a result, this video may reference tastytrade, its prior legal name.

    More like this

    tastylive content is created, produced, and provided solely by tastylive, Inc. (“tastylive”) and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, trading or investment advice or a recommendation that any security, futures contract, digital asset, other product, transaction, or investment strategy is suitable for any person. Trading securities, futures products, and digital assets involve risk and may result in a loss greater than the original amount invested. tastylive, through its content, financial programming or otherwise, does not provide investment or financial advice or make investment recommendations. Investment information provided may not be appropriate for all investors and is provided without respect to individual investor financial sophistication, financial situation, investing time horizon or risk tolerance. tastylive is not in the business of transacting securities trades, nor does it direct client commodity accounts or give commodity trading advice tailored to any particular client’s situation or investment objectives. Supporting documentation for any claims (including claims made on behalf of options programs), comparisons, statistics, or other technical data, if applicable, will be supplied upon request. tastylive is not a licensed financial adviser, registered investment adviser, or a registered broker-dealer.  Options, futures, and futures options are not suitable for all investors.  Prior to trading securities, options, futures, or futures options, please read the applicable risk disclosures, including, but not limited to, the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options Disclosure and the Futures and Exchange-Traded Options Risk Disclosure found on tastytrade.com/disclosures.

    tastytrade, Inc. ("tastytrade”) is a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA, NFA, and SIPC. tastytrade was previously known as tastyworks, Inc. (“tastyworks”). tastytrade offers self-directed brokerage accounts to its customers. tastytrade does not give financial or trading advice, nor does it make investment recommendations. You alone are responsible for making your investment and trading decisions and for evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of tastytrade’s systems, services or products. tastytrade is a wholly-owned subsidiary of tastylive, Inc.

    tastytrade has entered into a Marketing Agreement with tastylive (“Marketing Agent”) whereby tastytrade pays compensation to Marketing Agent to recommend tastytrade’s brokerage services. The existence of this Marketing Agreement should not be deemed as an endorsement or recommendation of Marketing Agent by tastytrade. tastytrade and Marketing Agent are separate entities with their own products and services. tastylive is the parent company of tastytrade.

    tastycrypto is provided solely by tasty Software Solutions, LLC. tasty Software Solutions, LLC is a separate but affiliate company of tastylive, Inc. Neither tastylive nor any of its affiliates are responsible for the products or services provided by tasty Software Solutions, LLC. Cryptocurrency trading is not suitable for all investors due to the number of risks involved. The value of any cryptocurrency, including digital assets pegged to fiat currency, commodities, or any other asset, may go to zero.

    © copyright 2013 - 2024 tastylive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.  Applicable portions of the Terms of Use on tastylive.com apply.  Reproduction, adaptation, distribution, public display, exhibition for profit, or storage in any electronic storage media in whole or in part is prohibited under penalty of law, provided that you may download tastylive’s podcasts as necessary to view for personal use. tastylive was previously known as tastytrade, Inc. tastylive is a trademark/servicemark owned by tastylive, Inc.