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
Dividend Aristocrats and ETFs: The Ultimate Wheel Strategy for Options on Stocks
Dividends have attracted investors for decades, and trading options on dividend aristocrats offers a smart way to benefit from their stability. By examining historical dividend yields, you can...
Short Strangle: A Strategy for Stable Markets [Theory, Example, and Things to Know]
One of the features traders enjoy the most about options trading is likely the possibility to earn even in a sideways market. The short strangle option strategy allows this by selling a call and a...
How Much Money Do You Need to Trade Options? [Learn & Trade]
If you are new to options trading, the question "How much money do you need to trade options?" must have certainly crossed your mind. The answer depends on your goals. Start by learning the basics,...
Long Strangle - Profit from Market Movements with Options Trading [Expert Tips]
There are moments in which you know that a given stock is going to move significantly, but the direction in which this may happen is not clear. As you may not like to join a guessing game, the long...
Options Settlement: How It Works [Must-Know Facts]
Options settlement is a basic concept to understand if you plan to enter the derivative market. Knowing about options settlement time and its mechanics is crucial. When do options settle? And what...
How Does the Short Straddle Work? A Beginner-Friendly Breakdown [Guide]
One of the most appealing aspects of options trading is that you don't necessarily need the underlying asset to move significantly to profit. The short straddle strategy, involving selling both a...
Long Put - A Strategy Profiting from Bearish Phases [Example Included]
One of the very first strategies anyone generally meets when learning about options trading is the long put. However, its popularity does not mean that it is simple to understand and to use in...
Box Spread Strategy Explained [Focus on Key Elements]
If you're looking for an arbitrage opportunity in the options market, the box spread strategy may be what you need. This approach combines a bull call spread with a bear put spread, aiming to...
Use a Backtest to Build a 52-Week High or Low Options Trading Strategy [Free Backtest File]
When the trend is strong, there could be either trend-following or trend-reversal opportunities at a stock's 52-week highs and lows. Using our backtest file, you can measure the effectiveness of...
The Role of Bid vs Ask in Options [From Theory to Practice]
One of the very first concepts a financial trader will encounter is that of the bid and ask price. Bid vs ask in options (as in any asset trading) highlights the prices buyers and sellers agree...
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