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
Understanding the Long Calendar Spread - Tips and Insights
The long calendar spread is a relatively advanced strategy for traders aiming to profit from stability. Consisting of buying a longer-term call and selling a shorter-term one at the same strike...
Implied Volatility vs. Historical Volatility in Options Trading [A New Tool in Your Trading Kit]
Volatility should always be on your mind if you want to become a successful options trader. Understanding implied volatility vs. historical volatility is essential. This article breaks down the...
Short Put Calendar Spread: Taking Advantage of Volatility [Complete Guide]
If you expect a drop in implied volatility, you might want to consider the short put calendar spread strategy. In order to achieve this, you sell a longer-term put while buying a shorter-term put...
Finding the Best Naked Put Options (with a Great Edge)
Selling puts is one of the favorite strategies for many traders, especially when it comes to naked put options. This strategy lets you earn from selling uncovered puts without owning the asset....
Managing Naked Call Options: Risks and Strategies of This Option Strategy
Selling a call is a common strategy in options trading, and there are many ways to do it. Naked call options involve selling calls without holding the underlying asset, a move that promises profits...
Benefits and Risks of the Short Calendar Spread Options Strategy
If you're looking for advanced options strategy ideas, the short calendar spread might catch your interest. This is a trade that combines selling a longer-term call and buying a shorter-term one at...
Building a Synthetic Covered Call Strategy - What You Need to Know
Options trading can give investors unique opportunities to manage risk and achieve growth. The synthetic covered call is a strategy that combines the benefits of traditional covered calls with no...
A Backtested Approach to Using Bollinger Bands in Options Trading - Part 2
Following the results we showed in the first part of our series on Bollinger bands, let us show you through real-life examples how you can use this indicator to set up profitable trades. We have...
A Historical Look at the Most Successful Options Traders
Reading about how the most successful options traders, like Edward Thorp, with his unmatched 20% annual return over three decades, have interpreted the markets can offer valuable insights to anyone...
Poor Man's Covered Call - A Smart Choice for Neutral to Bullish Investors
Sometimes trading can require a high capital amount, so it is not surprising that the poor man's covered call strategy has collected quite some popularity online. This approach offers a way to use...
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