The Futures Rundown

In this episode, host Mark Longo is joined by veteran futures broker and author Carley Garner of DeCarley Trading to break down a wild week of macro action, massive energy spikes, and some deeply unusual livestock drivers.
Mark and Carley dive into the ongoing Middle East conflict's impact on energy, tracing why the crude oil rally is starting to "get old" despite the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed. They analyze the structural parallels between the current market and the 2022 price spikes, outline the best hedging strategies using micro futures and options, and explain why soybean oil is stepping up as a fascinating energy substitute.
They also break down this week's top movers—including an unexpected surge in cash-settled butter—and take a look at the dark side of the tape, where crypto (Bitcoin and Ether) and grains are experiencing aggressive liquidations. Plus, Carley reveals how "screw worm" flesh-eating parasites, border closures, and a multi-year drought have fueled an historic, toppy rally in live cattle futures.
In this episode, we cover:
The Trading Pit: Early vs. later-stage trading strategies during geopolitical conflicts; selling expensive upside call premium in WTI and Brent.

The Energy Overdrive: Why heating oil, RBOB, and soybean oil are pacing the year-to-date leaderboard.

Crypto vs. Equities Divergence: Bitcoin ($BTC) and Ether ($ETH) falling out of lockstep with the tech-heavy NASDAQ. Is Bitcoin still a reliable risk barometer?

Livestock & Ag Breakdown: Spotting a potential double-top in Live Cattle and how to manage downside risk using cheap options.

Futures Free-for-All Q&A: Carley's take on the upcoming move to 23.5-hour equity trading and extended options hours, plus cutting through social media "hype" coins.

Are equity index derivatives finally getting some real competition? In this episode, MIAX Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Shelly Brown joins host Mark Longo on the Futures Hot Seat to unpack their new index product suite developed with Bloomberg.
The conversation focuses on the structural mechanics of the new Tini Bloomberg 100 Futures ($TBQ) and the upcoming rollout of the Tini Bloomberg 500 Futures ($TBX). Shelly explains how these 100% objective, algorithmically-driven indices operate compared to traditional benchmarks like the Nasdaq and S&P—including how a strict mathematical methodology allows them to fast-track new IPOs into the index. They also look at the microstructure advantages designed to attract retail order flow: lower exchange fees, tight market maker spreads, and capital efficiencies via OCC clearing. Plus, we get a realistic timeline for index options and a upcoming Spikes 2.0 volatility product.
Later, Mark heads into The Trading Pit to break down a wild week of price action across the tape:
The Green Side: Small caps lead the charge with the Russell 2000 surging over 6%, Cocoa catches a rare bid, and the new Tini Bloomberg 100 makes an immediate debut on our weekly upside list.

The Dark Side: Energy gets hammered. WTI, Brent, and RBOB slide roughly 14% on potential Middle East resolution news, while lithium and wheat follow to the downside.

Volume Leaders: Micro Nasdaq contracts and Treasury rates see heavy volume blocks dominating the weekly data.

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This episode of The Futures Rundown goes way beyond stocks and crude as Mark Longo and Kevin Green from the Schwab Network dive into the futures stories nobody else is talking about. From booming cattle prices and live calf auctions to sulfuric acid shortages impacting global copper production, this show covers the wild side of the futures markets. Plus: energy, metals, natural gas, coffee, cocoa, rates, and the latest geopolitical impacts shaping futures trading.

The metals markets are heating up once again! On this episode of The Futures Rundown, host Mark Longo is joined by Dana Samuelson, President of the American Gold Exchange, to break down the "Insania-Mania" currently gripping the precious metals space.
They dive deep into the counterintuitive performance of Gold during recent geopolitical conflicts, the massive physical demand driving Silver back toward recent highs, and why Platinum is suddenly catching a bid. Plus, they explore the "sneaky" fundamentals of Copper and why the electrification of India is a long-term game changer.
Highlights include:
The Gold Liquidity Trap: Why the "King of Shiny" sold off while oil rallied.

Silver Frenzy 2.0: Analyzing the dislocation between New York and London markets.

Battery Tech Revolution: Could silver-based batteries replace lithium for EVs?

Rates vs. Metals: How the 10-year Treasury yield is "driving the bus" for precious metals pricing.

The Trading Pit: A look at the week's biggest movers, from Wheat and Oats to the recent slump in Bitcoin and Cocoa.

Is the "Strait of Hormuz" the only phrase you're hearing lately? You aren't alone. In this episode of The Futures Rundown, Mark Longo and Jermal Chandler, Head of Options Strategy at tastytrade, dive deep into a market where geopolitics is keeping Crude Oil firmly on the throne.

The duo breaks down a wild week in the pits, where energy is lighting up the tape while precious metals like Silver and Platinum lose their luster. They also tackle the "AI trumps all" sentiment in equities and what the recent Fed decision means for your portfolio.
Inside this episode:
The Trading Pit: A "Top 6" countdown of the biggest movers, featuring the massive rallies in WTI, Brent, and RBOB Gasoline.

Ag Watch: Why wheat is catching a bid and the strange correlation between fertilizer routes and your bread prices.

The "Shiny Stuff" Slump: Why traders are abandoning Gold and Silver to chase the oil trade.

Most Active Contracts: Breaking down the heavy volume in the 10-Year Note and the Micro NASDAQ on Fed Day.

The Year-to-Date Leaderboard: A look at the staggering 103% gain in Heating Oil and the continued freefall of Cocoa.

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