Short covering: GLD IWM XRT

Cover short XRT Sep 63 calls @63.2

Cover short IWM Sep 85 calls @83.9

Cover short GLD Oct 177 calls @165.2

It is a similar situation to yesterday, I was short strangles on all these, and when the stocks moved higher, the short call side becomes a loser. I did not expect today's massive rally. For all three: Gold, the Russell 2000 ETF and the Retail ETF, there is a high probability that layers of short puts will offset the losses from these calls.

There is some discussion on taking losses in yesterday's post. To repeat some it: basically, there is no one way that works best for every trader, every situation. Using a stop loss, whether it be a mental stop, or an actual order can help limit losses in a trending, orderly market. If a market gaps on news, stops will have less value and may not work. In trading range markets, stops often get triggered and then the stock reverses, to the consternation of many traders. 

Some traders won't use stops. A few favor a style that doubles their positions when they start losing. There are a lot of ways to go. Some traders will initiate their positions at well known, well publicized stop loss levels. It is often a game within the game, for every buyer, there is a seller, and each has their reasons for making a move. 

Again, in a trending bull market, hedging strategies such as selling strangles, will lag behind buy-and-hold in terms of performance.
 

Long AMGN BRKB ESRX EWG KFT LGF XHB

Long GLD IWM XRT

Net neutral SPY