Week 34 / Covered Call Portfolio Breaks $10K and Beats the S&P 500
| | 32 seen
As of November 28, 2025, our covered-call stock portfolio has surpassed the $10K milestone for the first time, closing at $10,069 — a weekly gain of +2.64% (+$269 versus last week). We reached the $10K mark a few weeks earlier than expected.
As seasoned put sellers, we remain cautious and do not rule out a potential pullback in the coming weeks. Favorable EUR/USD exchange rate movements also contributed a small boost to the portfolio’s performance. Good progress overall.
Additionally, at the office in Tbilisi today, we lit the Christmas tree and are officially ready for the holiday season.
Year-to-date, we’re up 29.94%, outperforming the S&P 500 by a wide margin (+16%).
As usual, we made no major moves throughout the week. Our previous NVDA credit spread expired worthless, and today we opened a new weekly NVDA credit spread. I also used a small portion of the options premium to buy an additional 0.1 NVDA share for the portfolio.
Current positions
- NVDA DEC 5, 2025 165/155 Bull Put Credit Spread
- 2X BMY DEC 19,…
Best Stocks for Covered Calls in 2026: High IV, Strong Fundamentals
| Options trading | 41 seen
I’m launching a new series on Options Trading, where I’ll be sharing insights built from more than seven years of hands-on experience in the markets. We’ll cover everything from the fundamentals to advanced premium-income strategies.
To kick things off, I’m starting with one of my favorite topics and one of the least risky yet capital-intensive strategies in the entire options landscape: Covered Calls.
If you want to follow along and never miss an update, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter
Covered call selling remains one of the most reliable ways to generate stable income from an equity portfolio. The key is pairing strong companies with elevated implied volatility (IV) so you receive premium without excessive risk.
My own preferred covered call underlyings for 2026 are NVIDIA (NVDA) for high-frequency weekly income, and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) for conservative, low-IV stability. In this article, we’ll walk through the Top 10 stocks specifically screened for covered call performance.
…
Week 33 / How We Earned $166 in Options Premium This Week with NVDA and BMY Credit Spreads
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As of November 21, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has slightly increased to $9,810, what is another minor weekly increase of +0.77% (+$74 if compared to the previous week. $10,000 feels so close. With disciplined risk management, we should be able to hit it by year-end — a solid springboard for 2026.
That said, our stock portfolio is performing significantly better than our crypto fund, which dropped 40% this week and is now more than 70% below its all-time high from just a few weeks ago. Surprisingly, but our NVDA-heavy covered-call portfolio continues to perform well.
As usual, most of the week we made no major moves in the portfolio. We followed NVDA’s earnings report and were prepared to roll our credit spread, but no adjustment was needed. Today we opened a new weekly NVDA credit spread. We also opened another BMY bull put credit spread with a December expiry, collecting enough premium to purchase additional BMY shares. This adds to the dividend portfolio — we now hold 5 BMY shares, all acquired using income from selling puts on the stock itself.
Current positions
- NVDA NOV…
Week 32 / Weekly NVDA Options Income: $75 in Premiums and a 2.32% Portfolio Rise to $9,735
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As of November 14, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has slightly increased to to $9,735, what is a minor increase of +2.32% (+$220 if compared to the previous week. $10,000 feels within reach. With disciplined risk management, we should be able to hit it by year-end — a solid springboard for 2026.
Surprisingly, our NVDA-heavy covered-call portfolio continues to perform well. Its steady premium income and reduced directional exposure contrast sharply with the crypto hedge fund, which has already dropped more than 50% from its September peak.
Most of the week went into building Python-powered machine learning bots for our options trading operations at Terramatris.
I keep saying I’m a bit exhausted from trading NVDA week after week, yet once again I kept credit spreads in the arsenal and sold another weekly spread, collecting a solid premium.
Current positions
- NVDA NOV 21, 2025 170/160 Bull Put Credit Spread
- 2X BMY NOV 21, 2025 43.5/38 Bull Put Credit spread
- SHELL DEC 19, 2025 31/28 Bull Put Credit Spread
- NVDA APR 17, 2026 $115 Covered Call
One of…
Week 31 / NVDA Dip Trims Covered-Call Portfolio to $9,514
| | 82 seen
As of November 7, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has slightly dipped to to $9,514, what is a minor decrease of -1.07% (+$102 if compared to the previous week. The dip is mainly due to the retracement in NVDA’s price and our need to adjust the bull put credit spread on it this Friday.
Most of the week was quite slow and uneventful — which is usually a good thing. The exception was Friday, when NVDA briefly dipped below 180. I rolled our 185/175 credit spread to next week’s expiry.
Frankly, NVDA is starting to look oversold to me. I’m considering taking a break from it, as I wouldn’t rule out a deeper correction — and since we’re trading on margin, that could get costly. Depending on how things go next week, I might step away from NVDA weeklies and look for something a bit less volatile.
Current positions
- NVDA NOV 14, 2025 180/170 Bull Put Credit Spread
- 2X BMY NOV 21, 2025 43.5/38 Bull Put Credit spread
- SHELL DEC 19, 2025 31/28 Bull Put Credit Spread
- NVDA APR 17, 2026 $115 Covered Call
One of the primary goals of our covered call stock portfolio is to…
Building a Deribit Options Scanner with Python and Streamlit
| Servers | 102 seen
I’m still amazed at how capable ChatGPT has become - it’s honestly wild. Today I spent several hours refining and deploying a fully functional Deribit Options Scanner, and the results exceeded my expectations.
This project is originally built for the Terramatris crypto hedge fund, but I decided to make it available to everyone interested in crypto options trading. While it’s still an early-stage tool, it’s already turning into something quite powerful.
Architecture and StackThe scanner is hosted on a Linode VPS, behind NGINX for reverse proxy and static serving. The core application is written in Python, using Streamlit for the user interface — a lightweight yet capable framework for building interactive financial dashboards.
Under the hood, the scanner communicates directly with the Deribit API, fetching live data for both BTC and ETH options. It parses the full options chain, structures it for analysis, and displays it in a clear, sortable interface. Everything updates dynamically, giving a…
Week 30 / NVDA, BMY and SHELL Options: $161 Premium, +4.65% Return
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As of October 31, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has grown to $9,617, what is a significant increase of +4.65% (+$426) if compared to the previous week. The strong performance in our portfolio was driven by a rebound in BMY’s share price and NVDA’s historic breakout above $200, making it the first company ever to surpass a $5 trillion market capitalization. An extraordinary week by any measure.
On a personal note, my mother visited me in Tbilisi, and we enjoyed a few short day trips to David Gareji and Kiketi Farm.
Last week, I rolled BMY options to the $43.50 strike, added a position in Royal Dutch Shell (Amsterdam) to strengthen our euro-denominated exposure, and initiated a new credit spread on NVDA.
Current positions
- NVDA NOV 7, 2025 185/175 Bull Put Credit Spread
- 2X BMY NOV 21, 2025 43.5/38 Bull Put Credit spread
- SHELL DEC 19, 2025 31/28 Bull Put Credit Spread
- NVDA APR 17, 2026 $115 Covered Call
One of the primary goals of our covered call stock portfolio is to gradually reduce debt while maintaining a long position…
Week 29 / Tbilisi Silk Road Forum & Weekly Portfolio Update: NVDA Options Roll, McDonald’s Purchase
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As of October 23, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has grown to $9,190, what is a significant increase of +3.08% (+$272) if compared to the previous week.
Besides our activities in the equity markets, last week I had the honor of attending the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum. During the event, I had the opportunity to meet the Prime Ministers of Armenia, H.E. Nikol Pashinyan; Georgia, H.E. Irakli Kobakhidze (twice); and Azerbaijan, H.E. Ali Asadov.
Georgia truly is a wonderful place to be. I also had the chance to connect with the Governors of the National Banks of Georgia and Kazakhstan, and to befriend the former Minister of Economy of Armenia, among others.
One of the highlights of the forum was meeting and befriending a chess prodigy who has defeated Garry Kasparov and even played against my fellow Latvian, Mikhail Tal. Options trading and chess share a remarkable resemblance — both require strategy, patience, and precise timing.
Now, turning to the equity markets and derivatives — last week I made a few smaller purchases of McDonald’s and NVDA stock, providing a solid boost to our long-term portfolio. On the…
Tsikhisdziri & Batumi Botanical Garden
| Living in Georgia | 31 seen
After returning from our amazing trip to Thessaloniki, we decided to extend our holiday a bit longer — this time in beautiful Tsikhisdziri. Huge thanks to Eto for kindly offering her cozy apartments at Bambo Beach, where we enjoyed a full week of relaxation by the sea.
During our stay, we explored local gems like Shukura Tsikhisdziri (შუქურა ციხისძირი), savored delicious Georgian food, and took a peaceful stroll through the Batumi Botanical Garden.
The result? A short travel movie that captures the essence of our Tsikhisdziri escape — sun, sea, good food, and great vibes.
Week 28 / NVDA Roll to 180/160; $66 Premium Collected
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As of October 17, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has dipped to $8,917, what is a decrease of -1.83% (-$166) if compared to the previous week. In our Terramatris crypto hedge fund, this week has been much rougher, with a sharp drop of more than 20% following the U.S. tariff announcement on China.
Due to increased volatility in the stock market earlier this week, I rolled down and forward our NVDA $182 put to a $180/$160 bull put spread with next week’s expiry, while still collecting a premium of $66. That was the only adjustment made to the portfolio last week.
Current positions
- NVDA Oct 24, 2025 180/160 Bull Put Credit Spread
- 2X BMY Oct 31, 2025 44/41 Bull Put Credit spread
- UBER Oct 24, 2025 89/85 Bull Put Credit Spread
- NVDA APR 17, 2026 $115 Covered Call
One of the primary goals of our covered call stock portfolio is to gradually reduce debt while maintaining a long position of 100 shares in NVDA. Notably, we earned $66 in options premium this week. If we can consistently average that amount, it would…
Unique newsreel footage of the Battle in the Courland Pocket. ‘The Baltic Verdun’ (1944–1945)
| Documentaries | 17 seen
Earlier today, YouTube unexpectedly recommended a Russian-language documentary titled “The Baltic Verdun (1944–1945)”, produced by Frontline Chronicles. The film presents rare archival footage from the Battle in the Courland Pocket, a series of fierce engagements fought in western Latvia during the final months of World War II.
It seems the algorithm did its job remarkably well — because this documentary touches directly on places connected to my own family history. My grandfather, Solomon Fischer (1913–1995) — a Holocaust survivor who later served in the Red Army (1941-1945)— fought in several of the very locations mentioned in the film: Blīdene, Saldus, and nearby areas.
The documentary traces the events across Tukums, Saldus, Priekuli, Liepaja, and other towns, depicting the desperate final battles where German forces were pushed toward the Baltic coast. One striking scene even references soldiers sending water from the Baltic Sea near Tukums to Stalin — a symbolic gesture marking the Red Army’s advance to the sea.
Watching this piece of history was both emotional and illuminating. It’s not just a war story — it’s a glimpse into the harsh realities my…
Week 27 / 12 Years Blogging from Tbilisi: Beating the S&P 500 in 2025
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Greeting from Tbilisi, Georgia! Today is October 10, and it marks the 12th anniversary of my personal blog — wow, how time flies! For nearly a decade, I was very active in publishing daily content on almost everything: life in Georgia, restaurant reviews, travel experiences around the world, and finance.
Over the past two years, my focus has gradually shifted toward financial topics, with occasional travel posts and regular travel videos. And for the past six months, I’ve been writing exclusively about my covered call adventures with NVDA stock and other trades — a new chapter in my long blogging journey.
Without further ado, as of October 10, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has reached $9,083, what is another minor increase of +0.74% (+$66) if compared to the previous week. While YTD, the portfolio is already up by +17.29%.
Wow, what a run it has been so far in 2025 — we’re finally ahead of the S&P 500 (+14.94%) by a few points!
Earlier this week, I rolled down and away a BMY credit spread, effectively lowering our…
Summer in Latvia 2025
| Travel guides | 40 seen
Summer in Latvia movie is out - Join us on our July (2025) journey through Latvia: installing a bathtub in our countryside cottage, setting up a pop-up store at Bangotnes, celebrating a birthday in Vērbeļnieki, traveling via Riga to Jaunpiebalga, Vecpiebalga, Smiltene, and Valka.
From sipping sparkling wine with swallows to running 4K morning runs, and so much more, this film captures the essence of a vibrant Latvian summer. Enjoy the video and thumbs up!
Week 26 / NVDA Covered Call Roll Adds ~$300 in Six Months (Update)
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As of October 3, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has reached $9,017, what is a decent increase of +2.38% (+$209) if compared to the previous week. While YTD, the portfolio is already up by +15.44%. Technically, we’re slightly outperforming the S&P 500 this year. Practically though, wouldn’t it be simpler to just buy and hold the SPY ETF?
On the other hand, I enjoy being in the market every day—generating options premium while steadily growing our dividend stock portfolio. This week alone, we collected $148 from selling options, well above my target of at least 1% in weekly premium, reaching 1.64%
This week I finally rolled up and forward our NVDA covered call, closing the $113 December call and opening a $115 April 26 call. The adjustment is expected to add roughly $300 to the portfolio over the next six months, or about $50 per month.
As NVDA continues breaking milestones, I decided to reinvest part of the income into an additional 0.25 shares of NVDA. While this does increase our margin balance, which I’m working to reduce as quickly as possible - I see it as a worthwhile long-term move.
Now…
Week 25 / NVDA Covered Call, BMY Spread Risk, UBER Spread, MCD Added
| | 31 seen
As of September 26, 2025, our covered call stock portfolio has reached $8,807, slightly decreasing by -0.58% (-$50). Year-to-date, the portfolio is up +12.75%. Technically, last week’s drop might be attributed to USD/EUR exchange rate fluctuations, as our base currency is set to EUR and we are therefore affected by forex movements.
This week, we collected $92 from selling options, what is well above my goal to generate at least 1% weekly in options premium (1.04% this week).
This was a relatively slow week with no major swings, unlike in the Terramatris crypto hedge fund, where we experienced a 17% drop. One troubled trade appears to be the credit spread on BMY, with the price falling below our strike. Since there are still about two weeks until expiry, I will monitor it closely and, if necessary, roll it down and forward, preferably for a credit.
Last week also put some pressure on our MCD shares. In general, I am against buying stocks on margin while we are still paying off debt, but this week I decided it wouldn’t do much harm to add 0.1 MCD shares to the portfolio.…
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After returning from our amazing trip to Thessaloniki, we decided to extend our holiday a bit longer — this time in beautiful Tsikhisdziri. Huge thanks to Eto for kindly offering her cozy apartments at Bambo Beach, where we enjoyed a full week of relaxation by the sea.During our stay, we explored local gems like Shukura Tsikhisdziri (შუქურა…
Summer in Latvia 2025
Summer in Latvia movie is out - Join us on our July (2025) journey through Latvia: installing a bathtub in our countryside cottage, setting up a pop-up store at Bangotnes, celebrating a birthday in Vērbeļnieki, traveling via Riga to Jaunpiebalga, Vecpiebalga, Smiltene, and Valka. From sipping sparkling wine with swallows to running 4K morning…
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