Gianluca Longinotti is an experienced trader, advisor, and financial analyst with over a decade of professional experience in the banking sector, trading, and investment services. Known for his rigorous approach and deep understanding of market dynamics, Gianluca specializes in derivatives and cyclical analysis, with a strong emphasis on options trading strategies and macroeconomic frameworks.
Gianluca is the founder of Cycle Quest, a project focused on applying cyclical models to financial markets, economic indicators, and more. With an international academic background and a passion for data-driven decision-making, Gianluca empowers traders and investors with expert insights, clear strategy frameworks, and cutting-edge tools.
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Brescia (Italy)
- Two Master’s Degrees in Economics and Empirical Finance from Sorbonne University (France)
References
- Founder at Cycle Quest
- Contributor at Traders Union
- Author at Tokize.com
- Author at Crypto Adventure
Experience
- Over a decade of experience trading options, with a focus on defined-risk strategies such as vertical spreads, iron condors, and diagonals
- Deep understanding of options pricing models like Black-Scholes and binomial trees, applied daily to position evaluation
- Active user of the CBOE indices as a benchmark to build and test different trading strategies with options
- Expert in managing trades using the Greeks (Delta, Theta, etc.) to dynamically adjust risk
- I regularly post live trade setups and market reads on Gianluca’s Trades via the Option Samurai blog and my personal Stocktwits profile
- Skilled in building algorithmic strategies in Python and Pine Script, with a focus on short-term price action and event-driven plays
- Creator of backtesting environments tailored to options logic using Python’s Pandas and NumPy stack
- Daily use of TradingView, Interactive Brokers, and Databento for execution, charting, and data analysis
- Developed custom automated dashboards in Plotly and Streamlit for real-time tracking of trade performance and volatility curves
- Frequently design strategies aligned with FOMC and macroeconomic indicators for directional and volatility bias
- Strong foundation in fundamental analysis, with deep dives into financial statements and earnings behavior
- Implemented statistical arbitrage and volatility modeling techniques to detect mean-reverting edges
- Experienced in handling expiration risk, assignment logic, and optimizing trade timing around options cycles
- Advocate for integrating behavioral finance principles to mitigate biases and improve trader discipline
- Regularly consult with traders on strategy design, risk control, and automation to elevate their performance across market regimes
Options vs Stocks - What Traders Must Understand Before Choosing
Options vs Stocks is a choice every trader faces. Should you own part of a company, or place a short-term bet on its price?
Vertical Spreads - A Closer Look at Defined-Risk Option Strategies
Vertical spreads are a common way to trade options while keeping both risk and reward in check. But how do they actually work?
Trade Idea – Long Call ZEBRA on BAC
I have just opened a bullish position on Bank of America (BAC) using a long call ZEBRA, a “Zero Extrinsic Back Ratio” strategy.
Iron Condor with Stock Position on Dividend-Paying Stocks (Premium + Upside + Dividend)
An iron condor is typically used as a neutral income strategy, ideal when you expect a stock to stay within a range. But what if you could take this income strategy and enhance it, not just with upside exposure, but also with dividend income?
Trade Idea - Long Call Financed with Put Spreads on BBY
I used our custom strategy screener feature to find a non-conventional trade idea to go long on BBY.
Iron Albatross Spread - A Condor Alternative with More Flexibility
Looking for a flexible way to trade neutral markets without relying on tight price ranges? The iron albatross spread might be what you need.
The Adjusted Risk Reversal - Selling Two Puts and Buying One Call
Naked puts are a popular strategy because they offer a high probability of profit, as long as the stock stays above your strike, you collect the premium. But here's a better trade idea for you: the adjusted risk reversal.
Trade Strong Stocks with Defined Risk - The ZEBRA Strategy
The ZEBRA (Zero Extrinsic Back Ratio) gives you stock-like upside, limited risk, and, if opened in the right way, a relatively close breakeven point.
Buying the Dip with the Custom Scan - Long Risk Reversal on Good Oversold Companies
Most traders buy the dip using long calls or naked puts. But with our Custom Strategy Scanner, you can take a more advanced approach: sell a put and buy a call to build a long risk reversal.
Delta-Zero Income Strangle with Shares
The short strangle is a common strategy for collecting premium in neutral markets. What’s less common, but effective, is combining that same short strangle with shares.
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