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
What Is Rho in Options?
6 min read
Learn what rho means in options trading, how interest rates affect option prices, and when rho matters most. Explained with clear examples for calls and puts.
What Is Vega in Options?
Learn what vega means in options trading, how implied volatility affects option prices, and how to use vega for long and short strategies.
What Is Theta in Options?
Learn what theta means in options trading, how time decay works for buyers and sellers, and how to use theta to measure portfolio risk.
Trade Idea - Naked Put on AEM
Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) has recently reported earnings and the print was solid, but for some reason the implied volatility did not crush the way you'd typically expect after a scheduled event.
What Is Gamma in Options?
Learn what gamma means in options, how it measures changes in delta, and why it matters for both long and short positions. Explained with clear examples.
What Is Delta in Options?
Learn what delta means in options trading, how it works for calls and puts, and how to use it to estimate price moves and probability. Clear examples included.
Trade Idea - Naked Put on DGX
3 min read
Quest Diagnostics (DGX) just reported earnings and the print was solid, but for some reason the implied volatility did not crush. So, I sold a put here.
Options Greeks - What Are the Greeks in Options and Why They Matter
7 min read
Learn what options greeks are and how delta, gamma, theta, vega, and rho help you measure risk and make smarter options trades
Trade Idea - Naked Put on MCD
McDonald's (MCD) has sold off sharply from the $340+ highs it printed in February and is now trading around $307, with the RSI deep in oversold territory and the IV rank above 85%. That's a setup I like for selling premium.
Trade Idea - Naked Put on LLY
Eli Lilly (LLY) has pulled back hard from its highs and is now sitting right on the 200-day moving average, with an IV rank above 85%. That combination was enough for me to sell a put on it.
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