Friday's options tape stayed busy through the close. Mark Longo breaks down the most active names, with $TSLA taking the top spot ahead of $NVDA. He looks at Tesla's intraday swings, $AAPL calls that finished in the money, and $MSFT calls that fell just short of their strike. Plus: reversals in $META and $MU, options activity in $INTC, $AMZN and $MSTR, and recent congressional purchases on the House Yay Scan.

Want to dig into the data yourself? Explore more options data and run your own scans at TheHotOptionsReport.com.

What exactly is the VIX? How is it calculated? Why doesn't it always move opposite the market? And what's really driving VIX futures, options and volatility ETPs?

This week on Options Boot Camp, Mark Longo welcomes back the legendary "Dr. VIX" himself, Russell Rhoads, for an extended deep dive into the world's most popular volatility index.

Whether you're new to volatility trading or looking to sharpen your understanding of advanced VIX concepts, this episode is packed with practical insights, common pitfalls, and actionable ideas.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What the VIX actually measures (and what it doesn't)
• How the VIX is calculated using SPX options
• Why VIX can sometimes rise alongside the stock market
• The mechanics and risks of VIX settlement
• Spot VIX vs. VIX futures—and why the difference matters
• Contango, backwardation and the infamous "negative roll yield"
• How VIX options are priced and what futures drive them
• Common mistakes new VIX traders make
• The pros and cons of VXX, UVXY, UVIX and SVIX
• How Russell uses volatility products as hedges and trading tools
• Listener questions on volatility products, risk reversals and today's market environment

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the financial industry—but could it eventually become your options broker?

In this exclusive interview from the Options Industry Conference 2026, Mark Longo sits down with Jim Swartwout, CEO of Prosperum Fintech Holdings, to discuss how AI is being integrated into brokerage services, options trading, customer support, education, and portfolio management.

Jim brings decades of experience from some of the biggest names in the brokerage industry, including Schwab, Fidelity, E*TRADE, TradeMonster, Scottrade, Ally, and Robinhood. He shares how Prosperum is developing AI-powered tools that can assist traders with options strategies, account monitoring, education, and eventually even trade execution.

They also discuss:

• The future of AI-powered brokerage services
• Building "Alex," Prosperum's AI trading assistant
• Can AI help traders manage complex options strategies?
• The role of education in successful options trading
• 24-hour options trading and market access
• 0DTE options and evolving market structure
• Prediction markets and their growing popularity
• Crypto, tokenization, and the future of financial markets
• What traders should expect from Prosperum in the months ahead