The “one spread, one trade” approach reduces spread commissions as much as 75% with one rate for up to four legs. Under the new pricing, commissions for multi-leg trades with up to four legs will be $1.25 per contract, with a $12.95 minimum for customers who trade more than 35 times per quarter. The commission rate for customers who trade less frequently will be $1.50 per contract, with a $14.95 minimum. Full story

Lou Friedmann
Executive Vice President, Marketing

Multi-leg option strategies are subject to multiple commissions. Profits may be eroded by the commission expended to open and close the positions and other risks apply.

Think you’ve got what it takes to wrestle 40,000 pounds of full-grown beef cattle?

We’re pleased to announce today that you now have access to the CME meat and livestock futures markets. In addition to live cattle futures, you also can trade futures based on lean hogs, feeder cattle, and pork bellies. This is just the latest example of our ongoing expansion of the commodity futures available for trading on the optionsXpress platform.

These products trade in the open-outcry pits at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, from 10:05 AM ET until 2:00 PM ET. Feeder cattle and lean hog contracts are settled in cash and aren’t physically deliverable. Futures on live cattle and pork bellies, though, call for physical delivery.

For investors seeking portfolio diversification or trading opportunities a bit off the beaten path, CME meat and livestock futures might be worth a closer look.

Take a peek at all the futures products now available for trading at optionsXpress. The list will continue to grow in the weeks ahead.

Dan O’Neil
Executive Vice President, Futures
optionsXpress

Futures involve substantial risk and are not appropriate for all investors. Please read Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options prior to applying for an account.

LEAPS(R) (Long-term Equity AnticiPation Securities) may allow you to benefit from the long-term appreciation of an underlying stock without committing the capital that would otherwise be necessary when buying the stock. LEAPS offer a longer-term right to buy a stock at a specified price, and therefore can be an alternative to purchasing or selling an option in the short term. Many investors utilize these products because they typically offer additional time for a position/strategy to work.

There are factors investors should consider when deciding if LEAPS are right for their portfolio. LEAPS do not pay dividends, the margin associated with LEAPS is considerably smaller than that of stock, and, as with any investment, there is an up front premium required that may not be recovered.

If you decide LEAPS may be a good fit for your portfolio, be sure to visit our Option Pricer tool. Here, you can plug in various options scenarios--including volatility, price, time, dividend and interest rate-- to forecast future LEAPS prices.

See for yourself if LEAPS is a fit for you. Visit our LEAPS FAQs and Option Pricer tool. Want learn more about how the Option Pricer works? Check out our webinar on how to use the Option Pricer.

Mike Tosaw
Director of Education, optionsXpress

LEAPS(R) is a registered trademark of the CBOE.

Rising volatility in the equity and option markets can spell opportunity for savvy futures traders. At optionsXpress, we’ve just launched several new futures products designed to help you take advantage of the recent swings in the stock market.

Volatility Index (VIX) futures trade on the CBOE Futures Exchange. The VIX Index is a key measure of market expectations of near-term volatility conveyed by S&P stock index option prices. Since its introduction in 1993, VIX has been considered by many to be the world's premier barometer of investor sentiment and market volatility. Also, because volatility often signifies financial turmoil, VIX is often referred to as the "investor fear gauge."

But there’s more! In addition to VIX futures, we also now offer futures contracts based on the DJIA Volatility Index, the Nasdaq 100 Volatility Index, the Russell 2000 Volatility Index, and the S&P 500 3-Month Variance Index. For those who are looking for different ways to trade implied volatility in the equity and option markets, we’re the place to be.

Check out our updated list of all the futures products now online and available for trading at optionsXpress.

John Rogers
Assistant Vice President, Futures
optionsXpress

Futures involve substantial risk and are not appropriate for all investors. Please read Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options prior to applying for an account.

Investment decisions are different from your typical day-to-day shopping decisions. At a local store you can pick up and handle an object before you purchase it. You can try on a new pair of jeans to see how they fit and whether or not you like the look. In some cases, you can even return your purchase.

Watching the investments in your account is a lot different. Sure, you can see account equity rise and fall, and observe gains or losses on a daily basis. But by that point, you’ve already made your decision.

In trading, risk is inherent and there’s no way to be certain exactly what will happen with the investment you make. But before you take the plunge, isn't there some way to get a better picture of what might happen?

There sure is - the current suite of optionsXpress charts offer a great way to do just that. They are a measure of tangibility in an intangible realm - a way to give sight to your investing vision.

The best part? We’ve recently made them even better. Our newly redesigned Xpress Charts and Beta FleX Charts help you quickly analyze the market so you can make more informed trades. We’ve not only made them cleaner and sleeker, we’ve also added even more functionality.

New cursor labels on our Xpress Charts display your vertical axis location, additional time periods offer more granularity for your chart views and a handy legend on the lower study window clearly displays all lower studies that contain more than one line.

Meanwhile, our Beta FleX Charts come complete with streaming stock, options and futures quotes. Plus, you can import your Watch Lists and portfolio positions for easy chart creation – no more digging to find all your positions and manually importing each individually. There’s much more here, including trendlines, support and resistance points, and Fibonacci studies.

Try our charts today and start creating your very own investing masterpieces.

Happy Charting!

Philip Kepler
Vice President of Futures, optionsXpress

As oil prices continue to hover near record high prices, the drive to find an alternative to our insatiable appetite for foreign oil continues to increase. One such product that has recently come into the spotlight is ethanol.

Ethanol production in the U.S. is derived primarily from corn. In 2006, almost 18 percent of the U.S. corn harvest went towards the production of ethanol. However, other grains or biomass sources – such as corn stalks, switchgrass, or cane sugar – also can be used to produce ethanol. U.S. ethanol production continues rise, with a record 4.86 billion gallons produced in 2006, or nearly twice the production levels of 2000.

The Chicago Board of Trade offers an ethanol futures contract, and optionsXpress is pleased to offer our customers access to this exciting product, which gives futures traders yet another opportunity to take advantage of this emerging energy market!

Click here for an updated list of all the futures products now online and available for trading at optionsXpress.

Mike Zarembski
Senior Commodity Analyst
optionsXpress

Futures involve substantial risk and are not appropriate for all investors. Please read Risk Disclosure Statement for Futures and Options prior to applying for an account.

Did you know you can step away from your PC and still stay connected to your investments with wireless trading?

Check your balance, evaluate your positions, see your Watch Lists, get real-time quotes, even place trades…all while on the go. All you need is a wireless Internet connection. There are no extra fees for wireless trading and it’s simple to get started.

See what it feels like to cut the cord. Place trades on the road, at the hotel or in the airport. Go wireless and leave the laptop at home.

Rumi Kuli
Executive Vice President of Account Services
optionsXpress