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
A Focus on the Option Buying Power: What It Is and How It Works [Explained]
6 min read
If you are a trader, you must have certainly found the concept of option buying power on your broker's platform. This simple concept is the cash available in your account for options trading....
The Basics of Index Options: An Overview for Beginners (Trading Indexes and Index-Based ETFs)
8 min read
Index options represent, by far, one of the most accessible ways for beginners to get broader market exposure. This article clarifies what index options are (meaning stock index options). Discover...
An Essential Guide to the Put Ratio Spread (Example and Things to Know)
10 min read
We often tell you that one of the main advantages of options trading is that you can benefit from little or no movement in the underlying price. A put ratio spread offers this potential by buying...
Trading Earnings Events with Options - A Backtested Strategy
14 min read
After an earning event, stocks can experience a sudden price change depending on the way the market interprets the company's performance. This can be an opportunity for traders to capitalize on...
Selecting Day Trading Options Strategies [Create a Trading Plan and Stick to It]
8 min read
Day trading options strategies represent, perhaps, the riskiest (and yet, most tempting) operations for traders eyeing quick profits. By exploring option day trading strategies and understanding...
How to Use a Spread Option Strategy [Horizontal, Vertical, and Diagonal Spreads]
8 min read
One of the main advantages of options trading is that it can give you the chance to invest in an underlying asset at a reduced cost or with limited risk. The spread option strategy, including...
Finding Practical Option Ideas for Independent Traders on Option Samurai [Tips & Tricks]
9 min read
When we started Option Samurai, our goal was to make finding option ideas straightforward for independent traders. This guide will give you examples of what you can do on Option Samurai: see how...
Finding the Most Successful Options Strategy [Different Strategies for Different Outlooks]
9 min read
If you're on this page, it is because you've probably spent a lot of time searching for the most successful options strategy. Whether you're curious about the most profitable options strategy or...
How Does the Protective Put Strategy Work? [Married Put Example Included]
11 min read
Before being used for speculative reasons, options were originally designed to hedge your trading risk. Understanding the protective put strategy is essential if you wish to reduce your loss risk...
Learn How to Use a Reverse Iron Condor Strategy (Profiting from High Price Movements with Options)
8 min read
You have probably heard about the classic iron condor to benefit from a relatively stable market, but what if you need a strategy for high volatility? The reverse iron condor strategy, also known...
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