Trading Data Reference Tables

Direct Answer

Trading reference tables provide quantitative context for active market participation. Volatility tables show what VIX levels historically correspond to market stress versus complacency. Options calendars show standard and weekly expiration dates. Margin tables show how margin requirements have changed under different regulatory environments. All three categories are structural inputs that inform execution decisions rather than investment thesis decisions.

Common questions

What does a VIX level of 20 mean compared to a level of 40?

The VIX measures the market's 30-day implied volatility expectation for the S&P 500, derived from options prices. A VIX of 20 is near the long-run historical average and suggests moderate uncertainty. A VIX of 40 signals high market stress, corresponding to conditions like the 2020 COVID crash or the 2008 financial crisis. Implied volatility at elevated VIX levels makes options expensive as hedges and creates premium-selling opportunities for traders who believe the realized volatility will be lower than what the options imply.

What is the difference between standard monthly options expiration and weekly options?

Standard monthly options expire on the third Friday of each month (or the preceding Thursday if the Friday is a market holiday). Weekly options (also called "weeklys") expire on any Friday other than the standard monthly expiration, and many high-volume products also offer Tuesday and Thursday expirations. Weeklys have shorter time to expiration, which means faster theta decay and lower premium, making them popular for directional plays and income strategies that target a specific event like an earnings release.

Every guide in this section

10 guides in this section.

All guides

• Circuit Breakers and Trading Halts Reference

  Reference table for U.S. market-wide circuit breakers (Level 1: -7%, Level 2: -13%, Level 3: -20%) and LULD single-stock trading halt bands.

• Margin Requirements Reference

  Reference table for U.S. stock and options margin requirements: Regulation T initial margin (50%), FINRA maintenance margin minimums, portfolio margin, and margin interest rates.

• Market Hours and Trading Sessions Reference

  Reference table for NYSE, NASDAQ, and major global exchange trading hours in local time and ET, plus 2025 NYSE market holidays and extended hours trading risks.

• Options Expiration Calendar 2025

  Standard monthly U.S. equity options expiration dates for 2025, including triple witching and quarterly expiry dates.

• Options Greeks Reference Table

  Quick reference table for options greeks: delta, gamma, theta, vega, and rho.

• Options Strategy Payoff Reference

  Reference table for common options strategies: max profit, max loss, breakeven, and market outlook for long calls, puts, covered calls, spreads, iron condors, straddles, and strangles.

• Pattern Day Trader (PDT) Rule Reference

  Reference table for FINRA's Pattern Day Trader rule: PDT designation thresholds, $25,000 minimum equity requirement, margin call process, and how to trade with under $25,000.

• SEC Rule 144 Resale Reference

  Reference table for SEC Rule 144 requirements for reselling restricted and control securities, including holding periods, volume limits, and Form 144 filing thresholds.

• Trade Settlement Cycle Reference

  Reference table for U.S. and global trade settlement cycles by security type: stocks T+1 (since May 2024), options T+1, Treasuries T+1, mutual funds T+1, and cryptocurrency T+0.

• Short Interest Tracking Reference

  Reference table for short interest metrics: short interest ratio (days to cover), short interest as percentage of float, data sources, and how to interpret short squeeze signals.