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When volatility pops, income trades get their wind at the back. In testing and live trades this week, performance materially improved once the VIX moved back above 16 — and that shift turned routine setups into faster, cleaner wins.
The key is simple: Treat VIX 16 as a binary filter for when to press daily opportunities.
The Threshold That Flips the Edge
I’ve done the math with one of my strategies, and backtests showed a clear break point…
Trading my 60 Minute Income setup only when VIX was above 16 boosted profits by roughly 30–40%. That line in the sand isn’t about predicting direction. It’s about harvesting movement that’s finally worth the risk.
This week provided a real-time proof point — the strategy hit its first target quickly, with partials at 50% and a late-day leg finishing around 109% higher after letting the position work into the close.
The takeaway is discipline, not heroics. You don’t need exotic structures when conditions are favorable.
Use the volatility filter to decide if a trade qualifies. If VIX is below threshold, stand down. If it’s above, execution speed and sizing matter more than cleverness.
How to Apply the Filter This Week
- Check VIX before you plan the day. If it’s 16 or higher, the income play is on the table. If it’s not, save your bullets.
- Favor defined targets. The team’s approach used an automatic 50% take-profit on part of the position, then let a runner work. That mix locked wins while keeping skin in the game when moves extended.
- Avoid overlap. If you’re already positioned in a similar two-way index idea, don’t double up on near-identical risk. Pick one clean expression.
- Keep expectations realistic. Even with the edge back, flat sessions happen — especially around macro events. The filter boosts odds, not guarantees.
Volatility is a regime, not a headline. When the VIX clears 16, your statistics improve because the market is finally paying for your time. Respect the line — and let the numbers do the heavy lifting.
Graham Lindman
Graham Lindman Trading
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*This is for informational and educational purposes only. There is inherent risk in trading, so trade at your own risk.
P.S. Only ‘APEX’ Stocks Will Survive When September’s Volatility Kicks In
Nate and I noticed that only a handful of “APEX” stocks deliver almost ALL the wealth in the entire stock market…
Now we want to show you how to use these stocks to beat September’s treacherous waters.
