The Option Block 1434: 2026 Kickoff Plus a New Champ is Crowned

The 2026 trading year is officially underway! Mark Longo, Uncle Mike Tosaw, and Andrew "The Rock Lobster" Giovinazzi gather for the first full trading week of the year to break down a massive 2025 and look ahead to the new market landscape. In This Episode: The 2025 Trivia Champion Revealed: After a grueling year of 1980s Trivial Pursuit, we finally crown the winner of the 2025 Trivia Challenge. Who took home the title between Uncle Mike, The Rock Lobster, and previous guest Dan Passarelli? The Trading Block: A robust start to 2026! The team analyzes the S&P 500's push toward all-time highs, the sudden surge in Financials (XLF) and Energy (XLE), and why Big Tech (Apple and Nvidia) is showing some early-year weakness. Record-Breaking Volume: We dive into the final 2025 numbers from the OCC. With over 15.26 billion contracts traded last year, we discuss what this explosive growth means for retail traders. The Odd Block: Unusual activity returns with a deep dive into Peloton (PTON) and a massive January 2027 call trade, plus some aggressive short-term upside speculation in Enovix Corp (ENVX). Strategy Block: Uncle Mike explains the "Time Non-Linear Time Decay Differential" and why calendar or diagonal spreads might be your best bet if you expect volatility to rise from these lows. Around the Block: Predictions for the year ahead, the impact of geopolitical headlines on the energy sector, and a look at the upcoming VIX expiration. Get More Options Insider: Pro Analysis: theoptionsinsider.com/pro The Network: Search "Options Insider Radio Network" on your favorite podcast app. TastyTrade: Visit tastytrade.com/podcasts to see why they were named the Best Broker for Options in 2024.