$IAU 20261030 77.5 PUT$ $IAU 20261030 77.5 PUT$ 

🖤💗 BLINK FANS MARKET JOURNAL: Trading the Range on Gold ETF IAU

1️⃣ Why am I making this trade now? 📉✨

I decided to trade the range on IAU (iShares Gold Trust) because I believe there are opportunities to earn option premiums even when gold is struggling to establish a clear direction.

Looking at my chart, IAU has fallen from its earlier highs near US$90 to around US$77–78. Although it rebounded from the low near US$74.44, the recovery has weakened, and the price is consolidating around US$77.32. Its moving averages remain mostly above the current price, suggesting that the broader trend is still under pressure.

Instead of blindly buying gold and hoping for a rebound, I prefer to trade the range and let the market pay me when the opportunity is right. @Shernice軒嬣 2000 @AI_FocusedTrader 💗

My strategy was simple: I sold the IAU US$77.50 put expiring on 30 October at US$0.89, then bought it back at US$0.83.

For one standard US options contract representing 100 shares, I collected US$89 in premium and paid US$83 to close the position. That leaves me with a gross profit of US$6, before commissions and other transaction costs.

It is a small win, but I was not trying to catch a huge gold rally. I was looking for a manageable opportunity to capture a small difference in option premium.

Of course, selling puts is not risk-free. If IAU had fallen sharply, the option could have become more expensive to close, and I could have suffered a loss. Buying it back allowed me to close the trade and remove that exposure.

2️⃣ What’s my plan from here? 🎯📊

My next step is to continue watching the trading range rather than automatically opening another position.

The US$77.50 strike is close to IAU’s current price, so I need to remain cautious.

💎 Support near US$77: If IAU holds this area, I will watch for signs of stabilisation before considering another trade.

💎 The previous low near US$74.44: If the price breaks down towards this level, I will become more cautious about selling puts.

💎 Gold’s macroeconomic catalysts: Inflation expectations, oil prices, Treasury yields and Federal Reserve decisions can all influence gold prices. I will watch these factors before deciding whether to sell another put.

My rule is not to force a trade just because I want daily premium income. I want the strike price to make sense, the premium to justify the risk, and any potential assignment to fit my available capital.

🖤💗 My BLINK FANS takeaway

I do not need to predict every move in gold to find an opportunity. I sold the US$77.50 put at US$0.89 and bought it back at US$0.83, capturing a gross US$6 per standard contract.

That is a small win, but it demonstrates the discipline I want to build: sell when the premium is attractive, buy back when the opportunity has played out, and avoid staying in a trade just to squeeze out the last few dollars.

A trading range can break at any time. My job is not to be right every day. My job is to manage risk, protect my capital and wait patiently for the next setup.

🖤 Trade smart. Stay disciplined.

💗 BLINK FANS — turning market movements into learning opportunities, one trade at a time.

This is my personal trading journal, not financial advice. Options can result in substantial losses, and fees reduce realised profits.[Smile]