Derivatives Market is Still 'Angsty' and Why I'm Not Sweating It (Yet)

April's Rollercoaster: A Wild Ride Indeed

Okay folks let's talk about this market volatility. Apparently after those lovely tariffs dropped the S&P 500 decided to do its best impression of a Zuckerbot roller coaster. We took a dive then shot right back up. But according to some folks in the options market – Amy Wu Silverman at Royal Bank of Canada bless her heart – not everyone's buying the bounce. 'The market may have roundtripped but the derivatives market remains pretty angsty,' she told CNBC. Angsty huh? Sounds like they need a good meme and some cat videos stat!

The Skepticism is Real

It seems that even though we clawed back those April losses the demand for hedging is still... *high*. Silverman says this 'speaks to the sentiment that we have about the uncertainty for the next few months maybe even years'. Now I'm not one to dismiss concerns but I prefer to think of uncertainty as opportunity. After all 'move fast and break things,' right? Though maybe not the economy... just kidding! (mostly).

Trade Wars: When Tariffs Attack!

Part of this skittishness is because everyone's waiting on news about trade deals. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says we're 'very close to some deals'. Hope so! Paul Tudor Jones is even suggesting the market will 'probably go down to new lows even when Trump dials back China [tariffs] to 50%'. Yikes! Looks like we need to stay agile. If I've learned one thing it's that the world is constantly evolving. We can adapt.

Bottom Line: Stay Tuned Folks

So are we out of the woods yet? Maybe not. But here's the thing: we're innovators. We're builders. We solve problems. If it turns out the 'derivative market' is actually right and the market gets rough we'll pivot. We have before and we will again. I'm not saying be reckless but don't be paralyzed by fear either. We'll get through it together.

Shopify: The Tariff Proof Champion?

Now here's a bright spot: BMO initiated Shopify with an 'outperform' rating. Apparently they think Shopify can withstand tariff pressures better than its rivals. The analyst noted SHOP's 'core strength is the agility that its platform provides to merchants.' So while some folks are losing their minds over tariffs others are building platforms to help businesses thrive in the chaos. That's the spirit! Agility is key in business and in life.

My Two Cents (Or Maybe a Few Billion)

Look the market's going to do what the market's going to do. There will always be ups and downs. But what matters is how we react. Do we panic and sell everything? Or do we see opportunity invest in innovation and build a better future? I know which path I'm choosing. And for those feeling angsty remember what I always say: 'Done is better than perfect.' (Even if it's a little bit scary...).