Initial Transaction - Direxion 3x Small Cap Bear (TZA) (9/14/2009)

For the first time in the CCIP, I will be using an option strategy referred to as a put spread. This is essentially the same concept as a covered call in which you also buy a protective put, however it removes one of the legs of the trade. Instead, you sell a higher strike put, and buy a lower strike put. The perfect outcome is that both puts expire out-of-the-money and you collect the difference in the two premiums. For this particular position, I decided to create a put spread with TZA, which returns 3x the inverse of the daily return of the Russell 2000 index. The idea here is essentially that I believe the market cannot sustain this drive higher forever, and that its due time for a pullback. As such I would like to be hedged against such a pullback, and I think this is a perfect way to do so. It results in a potential profit of 6.8%, and the maximum loss is only 15%. I will most likely be using more of these type strategies with the more volatile positions in my portfolio. The profit/loss info is below:

9/14/2009 -- Sold To Open 1 $12.50 Strike Oct Put @ $1.10
9/14/2009 -- Bought To Open 1 $10 Strike Oct Put @ $.25

The important purchase metrics are below for insight into possible profit and loss (these all include commissions):
Stock Purchase Cost: N/A

Possible Max Upside: 6.8%

Annualized Max Upside: 75.21%