Up and down week leading into options expiry produced fewer assignments than expected. A few winning long term uranium trades close
Portfolio News
In a week where S&P 500 dropped 0.17% and Europe rose 0.12%, my pension portfolio dropped 0.39%. Drags were Northern Star Resources (NST.AX) down 5.3% in a big holding, NuScale Power Corporation (SMR) (down 12.4%), Oklo Inc (OKLO) calls down 26% and Lightbridge Corporation (LTBR) down 9.4%. Horror revised production announcement from Boss Energy (BOE.AX) with a 25% drop did not help.
Big movers of the week were RocketBoots (ROC.AX) (47.2%), Skyharbour Resources (SYH.V) (45.3%), Sagalio Energy (SAN.AX) (37.5%), Bapcor (BAP.AX) (19.3%), Global Atomic Corporation (GLO.TO) (19%), St George Mining (SGQ.AX) (18%), Peninsula Energy (PEN.AX) (16.4%), Coronado Global Resources (CRN.AX) (14.7%), Sunrise Energy Metals (SRL.AX) (14.3%), Ur-Energy (URG) (14.1%), Arafura Rare Earths (ARU.AX) (13.6%), American Rare Earths (ARR.AX) (12.5%), Atha Energy Corp (SASK.V) (12.3%), American Uranium (AMU.AX) (12%), Sigma Lithium Corporation (SGML) (11.5%), 29Metals (29M.AX) (11.1%), Haranga Resources (HAR.AX) (10%), Heavy Minerals (HVY.AX) (10%), Lithium Universe (LU7.AX) (10%)
A short list of 19 big movers with the top 4 all somewhat news related - in order - a big contract win, joint venture in the Athabasca, sorting out financials and AGM, and a new CEO. The big themes are represented from the top: uranium (6 stocks), rare earths (5 stocks), lithium (2 stocks), gold mining (2 stocks)
US markets getting that overbought feeling with the week starting out soft especially with a rotation out of AI stocks on Oracle (ORCL) announcement. Modest US inflation reading has stocks stepping back up at the end of the week to break the losing streak
Crypto Struggles
Bitcoin price pushed lower with a small recovery finishing the week 0.4% lower than the open with a peak to trough range of 6.9% = a sideways week
Ethereum price pushed lower but found buyers later in the week finishing the week 3.5% lower than the open with a peak to trough range of 12.5% = a down week
Chiliz (CHZBTC) goes against the flow with a giveaway and mainnet expansion coming along
Nuclear Energy Holdings
Options expiry drives a few adds and minuses plus a few small changes on edges. Two keys to note - 1.4% jump in valuations and portfolio goes over $1 million for the first time. Best be a good call.
Additions sees Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (URNJ) come into Top 10 in slot 6. Addition of Centrus Energy Corp. (LEU) sees it coming in at slot 10. Falling out of the Top 10 are Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RR.L) on the sales there and Range Nuclear Renaissance ETF (NUKZ). Share of portfolios jumps a whole point to 33.3% and Others is now 50 stocks - adding in Nuclear Tech stocks is a Nuclear Pro idea - lagging but going to jump
Holdings by stage sees a few changes with ETFs going up 1.7 points with the adds there and Technolgy dropping almost 3 points there with the drop in valuations. Producing comes down nearly 1.5 points.
Alternate Energy Holdings
A few adds but a surprising 3.3% drop in valuations - some of that comes from mark to market on the adds.
Despite the additions in ChargePoint Holdings (CHPT), JinkoSolar Holding Co (JKS) goes back to slot 1. Sigma Lithium Corporation (SGML) moves up a place into slot 5. Share of portfolios edges up a little
Bought
Rush Rare Metals Corp (RSH.CN): Uranium. Average down entry price in pension portfolio - 29.8% lower. Rush confirms that Myriad Uranium (M.CN) has completed its obligations to hit the 75% earn out - what I had been hoping was the merger would be completed - still talking.
Congratulations to Myriad for hitting this milestone. Both sides continue to discuss prospects for a merger, and we intend to explore this in the coming weeks, and otherwise the respective teams will commence negotiation of a joint venture agreement, which we will negotiate, if necessary, using our best and commercially reasonable efforts as stipulated in the option agreement. Obviously we are thrilled that Copper Mountain has turned into the tremendous asset it has, thanks both to some early hard work and good fortune by the Rush team in identifying the prospect and uncovering some excellent historical data, and some truly outstanding work by the Myriad team in developing and promoting the asset into one of North America's largest and most exciting uranium properties
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/rush-rare-metals-confirms-myriad-220000921.html
Fermi Inc (FRMI): Nuclear Power. Price tanked after key tenants withdrew $150m funding package from Project Matador in Texas.
Nuclear Pro added a position figuring there would a be a queue of replacement tenants before too long. Placed a mid-price order before market open - too bad price tanked another 19% after market open. Will add another holding in one of the other portfolios - going to ride this out. Maybe some sold puts too.
Viking Mines (VKA.AX): Rare Earths. Announced acquisition of US-based tungsten assets. Added a small parcel to personal portfolio - also put in a pending order below the first entry price. Next Investors idea - these tend to be front-run ideas.
Rapid Critical Metals (RCM.AX): Base Metals. Next Investors idea from a while back. They explore for nickel and copper in Zimbabwe and Gabon. Now I do the digging I see an investment in Africa - not been a happy hunting ground - will exit at a profit if price holds over the holidays. That explains why I skipped over this one when the first research note came out.
Sprott Junior Uranium Miners ETF (URNJ): Uranium. Exercised on 24/20 ratio risk reversal in managed portfolio. Breakeven $23.62 vs $25.71 close (Dec 19). In personal portfolio the close was on a 22/19 ratio risk reversal - Breakeven $21.27 vs $25.71 close (Dec 19). In pension portfolio the risk reversal was on 24/19 - breakeven $22.43 vs $25.71 close (Dec 19). Good place to start a covered call run across all three portfolios. Have a feeling that it will be smart to write with wide strikes on at least part of the holdings. Trades set up in June 2025 as open-ended trades in all three portfolios
Quick look at the chart to see what transpired. The trades just expired are highlighted with the big red arrows and starting where the rays begin. First observation is price stayed above the lower sold put (19) all the time and above the next one up (20) after the first two weeks. The overall price move during which these trades were opened was bigger than the previous big run (the blue arrow on the left). Profitability will continue to grow should price follow a green arrow price scenario from here. Such a move would be enough to bring the top showing call (30) in-the-money.
Aurora Cannabis (ACB.TO): Marijuana. Assigned on sold put in personal portfolio - on just one cycle breakeven is $5.78 vs $6.85 close (Dec 19). Starts the process of claw back
ChargePoint Holdings (CHPT): Electric Vehicles. Assigned in personal portfolio. Breakeven $8.50 vs $7.29 close (Dec 19). This is a long road home on a smart business idea - electric vehicle charging station working now in a sagging market and a heavy debt burden.
Centrus Energy Corp (LEU): Uranium Enrichment. Exercised on 180 call option. Trade set up in February 2025 when someone on X was bewailing the lack of strikes. Set up two trades at the time - this is the remaining one - started life as a 180/85 diagonal risk reversal with the sold put expiring August 2025 fully funding the bought call. Did sell one more put along the way giving a breakeven of $160.70 vs $261.77 close (Dec 19). [No chart: With the move to Nasdaq listing, Trading View lost my chart edit history]
iShares Brazil Index (EWZ): Brazil Index. Assigned on sold put in pension portfolio. Breakeven $31.21 vs $31.17 close (Dec 19). Initial idea from a tweet response "Buy Brazil" (February 2025). I did and still riding the idea holding longs (3 winning trades) and selling calls (adds 16.6% to profits) and puts (adds 51.6% to profits). Covered calls driving good profits
Fluor Corp (FLR): Engineering Services. Assigned on sold put in pension portfolio. Breakeven $40.04 vs $40.91 close (Dec 19). Still have sold puts open - time will tell what the real breakeven is. NuclearPro idea.
Largo Inc (LGO): Vanadium. Assigned on sold put in pension portfolio - keen to average down entry price - chose to let this run to assignment. Breakeven $0.80 vs $0.94 close (Dec 19) - two cycles.
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT): US Treasuries. With the Fed cutting rates was happy to let this sold put go to assignment. Breakeven $86.64 vs $87.55 close (Dec 19) - two cycles. Distribution yield at 4.30% is better than inflation.
Sold
Canopy Growth Corporation (WEED.TO): Marijuana. First of the covered calls caught out by the Executive Order shifting marijuana to Schedule III. 40.4% blended loss in managed portfolio since
November/December 2020/November 2022/December 2023/May 2024/August/September 2025. Been a long journey testing the medicinal benefits crunched by over capacity and US tardiness to legalize medicinal use. Income trades recovered only 15% of the capital loss - got the eye off the ball on that.
Rentokil Initial plc (RTO.L): Business Services. Assigned in managed portfolio and personal portfolio for 6.2% profit since November 2024 - stock screen idea. Income trades (all calls) added another 96% profits - so not far off 1% a month (after trading costs)
iShares MSCI Malaysia (EWM): Malaysia Index. Assigned in personal portfolio for 1% blended profit since June 2016/May 2017/January 2024 - GDP growth idea. The last averaging down trade turned the profit
RocketBoots (ROC.AX): Share price rocketed on a big new deal announcement - took out two thirds of holding leaving a small parcel in personal portfolio for 165% profit since August 2025. Next Investors idea.
A bunch of assignments on covered calls in pension portfolio:
Credit Agricole (ACA.PA): French Bank. 1.2% profit since November 2025
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RR.L): Aerospace/Defense. 7.7% profit since November 2025. Did hold back one parcel of shares to let this run as the nuclear power investments gather momentum
Dutch Bros Inc (BROS): US Restaurants. 3.1% blended profit since July/October 2025. Disappointing exit as $64.83 close (Dec 19) was above the entry for all 3 tranches. TSP idea - they still hold.
Elastic N.V. (ESTC): AI Software. 14.4% loss since September 2025 - paid the price of the AI selloff. TSP idea. Rather than starting out buying the stock, have done credit spreads - been exercised twice. The income trades have covered the capital loss 1.27 times
Solstice Advanced Materials (SOLS): Specialty Materials. 16% blended profit since October/November 2025. Holding arose after spin-off out of Honeywell International (HON) and a topping up to write covered calls when options were listed. Will top up remaining holding to keep invested.
Expiring Options
SSR Mining (SSRM): Gold Mining. With price closing at $22.95, 11/14/10 call spread risk reversal traded over the top and went to exercise and assignment. As price had raced so far ahead, chose to let this go to the expiry date - was not going to fall back.
Quick look at the chart shows price stayed above the sold put (10) all the time. The first price move was in line with a blue arrow price scenario drawn from a time not shown on the chart. That move kept price above the bought call (11) from early on. Now for the numbers: The buy and sell of the stock profit delivered 285% profit on the cost of the associated call spread. As the trade was fully funded by the sold put one cannot calculate a return.
Has been a pleasing investment idea - have held the stock a few times (70.5% of profits), made income on covered calls (1.3%) and sold puts (26%) and 2.2% from the fully funded premium of the first options trade. One can easily see why sold puts becomes a compelling investing idea - more leverage
One more chart comparing a gold mining stock sold last week - GoGold Resources (GGD.TO) - a clear outperformer - makes an idea to buy the GGD back.
From the post at the time in TIB760
Saw a tweet about the potential for SSR Mining as a gold mining holding - what I liked is diversified holdings across geographies and strong balance sheet. With $1,972/oz plenty of free cash flow with gold price well over $3200.
ASP Isotopes (ASPI): Nuclear Technology. With price closing at $6.08, 10 strike call option left over from a 10/9 risk reversal expired out-the-money
Had put on a few risk reversal trades around the same time - chart shows one still standing. This trade just closed was one - price did race over the bought call (10) and stayed there for a month - then fell over below the sold put (9). The sold put has been kicked down the road. Put a blue arrow price scenario from where price is now - back in business.
GE Vernova (GEV): Nuclear Technology. With price closing at $658.28 (Dec 19) 610 strike sold put expired out-the-money in pension portfolio. This brings to an end an interesting cycle of trades investing in the nuclear capabilities of the company. The first trade in the pension portfolio was a call spread risk reversal, then two credit spreads and then a kick the can down the road of the sold puts (4 times). The last of those just expired. There was one stock profit along the way (32.6% of the profits), the original options trade (3% of the profits), credit spreads (2.1%), sold puts (62.3%)
The chart tracks the story from the initial call spread risk reversal, two credit spreads (the boxes) and then the rolling of sold puts and exit.
NANO Nuclear Energy (NNE): Nuclear Technology. With price closing at $33.03 (Dec 19) sold put part (28) of 40/28 ratio risk reversal expired out-the-money leaving the bought call (40) as a free trade.
Quick update of the chart shows that price had raced 50% past the bought call level (40) and then pulled back below. It did however always stay above the sold put level (28). Hard to paint in price scenarios as price is doing a mini-pullback and could well reverse as it has just made a lower high. Have assumed that price could pull back as much as the last cycle down and place a light blue price scenario there. There is plenty time to expiry (right had vertical green line) for maybe 3 such cycles. Will explore putting on another trade with that same sold put level - it looks solid.
Tesla (TSLA): Electric Vehicles. With price closing at $481.20 (Dec 19) sold put part (400) of 420/520/400 call spread risk reversal in pension portfolio expired out-the-money leaving the January 2027 call spread (420/520) as a free trade.
Quick look at the chart which shows price did run below the sold put (400) about a week and then raced past the bought call. The price scenario penciled in last time are still on the chart. The yellow arrow maps out a Fibonacci retracement - that did not happen though there is a chance of one from where price is now. So much time to expiry.
ASX Portfolio
The segment reports trading in ASX fractional share portfolio. Trade entries are made based on stock screens looking for undervalued stocks (price to book, price earnings, price to sales) that are showing technical signs of breaking a downtrend. Exits are made at 35% profit or 25% if 52 week high is lower than 35% advance. New buys are in $500 lots. Scale ins and top ups in $250 lots
New Buys
Star Entertainment Group (SGR.AX): Gaming. Buying back in a stock exited a while back - changes in the business might help.
Chart shows price well and truly beaten up and stepping off all time lows with the appointment of a new CEO.
Top Ups
Peninsula Energy Limited (PEN.AX): Uranium. Did not notice already had a position - entered as a new buy size not a top up - ie., $500. Will work as a top up as the price is averaged down quite a bit.
Chart shows price breaking the downtrend and forming a short term uptrend.
Sold
Elevra Lithium was Sayona Mining (ELV.AX): Lithium. 55.9% blended profit since October/November 2024/July 2025. All tranches profitable but big move was from the last top up.
Ora Banda Mining (OBM.AX): Gold Mining. Closed at 52 week high above the new targets for 55% profit since September 2025. Note: Holding was only half size.
Hedging Trades
Stroud Resources (SDR.V): Silver Mining. Following the analysis last week on GoGold Resources (GGD.TO) bought back a small parcel in pension portfolio at 23% discount to the last sale. Took a little chasing to get filled.
Hecla Mining Company (HL): Silver Mining. Assigned in pension portfolio for 55% profit since September 2025 - income trades have added. Part of the rationale for adding the stock above - knew this was going to assignment.
Income Trades
Covered Calls
56 covered calls went to expiry across 4 portfolios with 10 assignments (UK 7 (3) Europe 5 (1) US 42 (5) Canada 2 (1))
Naked Puts
26 naked puts went to expiry with 7 assignments (UK 2 Europe 6 (1) US 16 (5) Canada 2 (1))
Sold puts happy to own at lower prices
- QuantumScape Corporation (QS): Battery Technology. Return 4.5% Coverage 8.1%
- Invesco Solar ETF (TAN): Solar Power. Return 1.14% Coverage 14.9%
- Westwater Resources (WWR): Graphite. Return 10% Coverage -1.2% - 5 days only - did not expect 12.5% drop in price (Dec 15)
- iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT): US Treasuries. Return 1.02% (ave) Coverage -0.1% - fully expect prices to rise as Federal Reserves cuts rates.
Sold puts on stocks that might get assigned on covered calls
- Dutch Bros (BROS): US Restaurants. Return 2.9% Coverage 5.3%
- Hecla Mining Company (HL): Silver Mining. Return 6.9% Coverage 4.7%
- Fermi Inc (FRMI): Nuclear Utility. Return 22% Coverage -9.4% - in-the-money
- Westwater Resources (WWR): Graphite. Return 11% Coverage -14% - in-the-money - trading error
- Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (BMNR): Crypto Mining. Return 15% Coverage 4.7%
- Canopy Growth Corporation (WEED.TO): Marijuana. Return 12.5% Coverage 34.5%
Kicked the can down the road on sold puts likely to be assigned
- FMC Corporation (FMC): US Agriculture. 30% profit on the buy back. 22.6% cash positive
- Advanced Micro Devices (AMD): US Semiconductors. 73.6% profit on the buy back. 82.2% cash positive - down a strike
- ASP Isotopes (ASPI): Nuclear Technology. 119% loss on the buy back. 2.7% cash positive
- Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR): Crypto Mining. 28.7% profit on the buy back. 7.8% cash positive
Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR): Crypto Mining. Got some strikes mixed up on kicking this one down the road. With the market falling over the trading error produced a 48% profit in a few hours on one trade and 3.2% on another - will see how the surplus naked puts do next month
Credit Spreads
Spreads outstanding on Mastercard Incorporated (MA) and Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) expired with a joint ROI of 48.6% - nice work. One spread open on L'Air Liquide S.A. (AI.PA)
With a growing cash balance across each portfolio, no need to worry about exercise risk
Resources
Cautions: This is not financial advice. You need to consider your own financial position and take your own advice before you follow any of my ideas
Images: I own the rights to use and edit the Buy Sell image. News headlines come from Google Search. All other images are created using my various trading and charting platforms. They are all my own work
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Investing: Interactive Brokers provides comprehensive global markets coverage with very competitive commissions. Open an account to earn up to USD 1,000 in IBKR stock. https://mclnks.com/ibkr
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December 15-19, 2025