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Sat, May 2nd, 2026

Sat, May 2nd, 2026

Darren Carlat

Darren Carlat

Darren Carlat is the Managing Director of the Bull Strangle Newsletter, overseeing market research, customer satisfaction, and  operations management. He graduated from Washburn University in Topeka, KS, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration  and a major in Accounting. 

In 1986, he began a 32-year career at Frito-Lay, Inc., a snack food producer and distributor that is part of PepsiCo Inc. Before retiring  in early 2018, Mr. Carlat was an Executive in Supply Chain Operations at the company's headquarters in Plano, TX, where he  managed demand forecasting, production scheduling, replenishment planning, and other supply chain activities. 

Mr. Carlat has developed, programmed, and tested various trading systems for decades.  

  • In 2010, he completed initial development of a seasonal spread trading strategy, which he has continually refined and improved.  This trading system forms the basis of all his managed futures programs and is used for his own trading activities.

  • In 2014, he founded SpreadEdge Capital, LLC, registered it as a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA), and started offering the program  to the public. 

  • In 2018, he retired from PepsiCo and is now dedicated to trading full time and remains one of the largest investor in the Diversified  program. 

  • In 2020, he began developing a stock option trading strategy, which he continues to refine and improve.  • 

  • In 2025, he launched the Bull Strangle Newsletter, allowing subscribers to trade the same strategy he uses in his personal account. 

Most Recent Stories

From Watch List to Trade: Finding High-Quality Income Setups

Not all stocks are created equal for income strategies. Learn how the Bull Strangle watch list narrows the field and why names like NextEra Energy and ARKK stand out.

Weekly vs. Monthly Options: The Answer Isn’t What You Think

Most traders frame this as a choice between weekly and monthly options. In reality, the edge comes from how positions are structured. By using a 4-week ladder to spread entries over time, traders can reduce...

When Seasonality and Geopolitics Collide: A Turning Point for Ag Markets

Grain markets typically build into seasonal highs over the coming months, but this year’s rally has been accelerated by geopolitical disruption. With prices already stretched, the market may be more...

Before the Trade: How Smarter Stock Selection Improves Income Strategies

The difference between consistent and inconsistent results in options trading often comes down to selection, not strategy. By building a structured watch list that filters for stability, liquidity, and...

Avoiding Earnings Without Sacrificing Portfolio Balance. Why discipline around earnings creates a new challenge—and how ETFs help solve it

Earnings season introduces a unique challenge for income-focused strategies. While avoiding earnings is essential to control risk, it can temporarily eliminate entire sectors from consideration. This article...

How to Control Portfolio Risk Using Market Groups and Sub-Group Caps

Most traders think they’re diversified—until everything starts moving together. This article breaks down how correlation within commodity groups creates hidden risk, and why managing sub-group exposure...

A Practical Framework for Filtering and Selecting Seasonal Spreads

The edge in seasonal spreads doesn’t come from finding more trades—it comes from filtering out the wrong ones. This article outlines a practical framework using objective metrics to identify stable,...

Stability Over Excitement: What DAL and JD Reveal About Trade Selection

Successful options income trading starts with stock selection—not just strategy. This week’s watch list highlights DAL and JD.com, two stocks moving toward more stable price behavior, and why that...

Why a Smaller Stock Plus Option Selling Portfolio Outperformed a Larger One

The answer wasn’t capital—it was selection. New analysis shows how constraints unintentionally improved performance by filtering out inefficient trades.

Why Trade Selection Matters More Than Trade Management in Spread Trading

Is trade management overrated? A deeper look at spread trading suggests selection matters far more than most traders think.

Tweets @Barchart

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$TLT longs in shambles after falling to its lowest closing price since July 📉📉 https://t.co/7ZlTWyETVG
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S&P 500 Equal Weight still hasn't made a new all-time high 🚨 https://t.co/4jGoMnXEK8
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S&P 500 $SPX right at resistance again 🚨🚨🚨 https://t.co/uOWXcgJuBW
Barchart
@Barchart
Shooting Star formation in the S&P 500 $SPX 🚨 - this is a bearish reversal pattern that could be signaling buying is exhausted and sellers are about to step in 🤯👀 https://t.co/uSLkYrD0Vw
Barchart
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Watching the race this weekend? Make sure you've got this cheat sheet handy, courtesy of Barchart columnist & racing enthusiast Rob Isbitts:https://t.co/znHj6ZmhhM
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The World has 8 weeks at most to avoid a global recession warns Top Economist Mohamed El-Erian 🚨🤯👀 https://t.co/Yz9Bsw8LNt
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Bitcoin $BTC relative to the S&P 500 $SPX 🚨 This has historically been a good buying opportunity 📈 https://t.co/PAWwhoj0NS
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S&P 500 $SPX soared more than 10% in April, its biggest monthly gain since November 2020 📈🥳🤑 https://t.co/XJP0zC20Ko
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Silver looks poised for its next big move 🚨 Getting close 👀 https://t.co/PvhCPMnXOl
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