QQQ Short Call — Dec 18, 2026
Trade Setup
Current Stock Price
$718.36
Entry Price
$417.50
Target Price
$208.75
Stop Loss
$835.00
Expiration
Dec 18, 2026
Suggested Contracts
1
Strike Details
Sell 781C
Risk / Reward
Max Loss
$156200.00
Max Profit
$417.50
Analysis
QQQ (Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1) presents a short call opportunity with elevated implied volatility. IV Rank 61. IV 2440.0% trades 549.0pp above 30-day HV (1891.0%). This setup favors net premium sellers.
Sell the $781 call for $4.17 credit. Naked single-leg exposure; collect premium from time decay if QQQ stays below the strike. Underlying ~$734.00, 60 DTE. Max profit $418 per contract, max loss $156200, 0.3% return on risk, 85% POP. Breakeven at $785.17.
Management: take profit at ~50% of max profit ($209). Cut at 2x credit ($835 loss). If short strike is breached with > 14 DTE, consider rolling out for a credit. Close before expiration week to avoid gamma risk.
Setup Instructions
Underlying: QQQ @ ~$734.00 Expiration: Dec 18, 2026 (60 DTE) Net credit (entry): ~$417.50 per spread Legs:
- Sell QQQ Dec 18, 2026 $781 Call (delta 0.15, mid $4.17)
Use limit orders at the mid or slightly worse. Verify bid-ask spread (currently ~1.2% of mid) before sending.
Management Plan
Take profit at 50% of max profit ($209). Cut loss if position reaches 2x credit received ($835 loss). Roll if tested with > 14 DTE remaining.