Over the past few years, I’ve used options as a way to generate consistent income from stocks I own or follow closely. Like many traders, I gravitated toward weekly options. They’re fast, frequent, and seemingly efficient. Whether I was writing covered calls on MicroStrategy or selling cash-secured puts on Alphabet, the weekly premiums felt like a reliable source of cash flow.

But recently, I made a strategic shift: I’m moving away from weekly options and focusing on monthly full-term options instead. After diving deeper into the mechanics of option pricing, execution, and market structure, I’ve realized that monthlies offer superior performance in most real-world trading scenarios.

Here’s what changed my mind, and why you might want to reconsider your own approach if you’re still using weeklies as your default.

Weekly Options: What I Was Doing

My earlier approach centered around short-term trades. I’d sell weekly calls or puts to collect premium, targeting short-term moves in names like MicroStrategy (MSTR), Tesla, or Alphabet. The appeal was obvious:

• Faster income cycles
• High annualized returns (on paper)
• Tactical flexibility

But in practice, I noticed several recurring issues:

• Wider bid/ask spreads on anything beyond the front-week
• Low open interest and less competitive pricing
• Higher gamma risk near expiry
• Constant need to monitor, manage, and roll positions

These frictions slowly eroded returns and added more stress than necessary.

Enter the Monthly, Full-Term Option

So what is a full-term monthly option? It’s the option that expires on the third Friday of each month. These were the original standardized options listed by the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) when listed options began trading in the 1970s.

Weekly options, on the other hand, were introduced much later (2005 by CBOE) to meet demand for more flexibility and short-term trading instruments. While they serve a purpose, they were essentially bolted on to the original system.

And it shows.

The Structural Advantage of Monthly Options

1. More Premium in Real Terms
   Monthly options consistently offer more time value per trade. Yes, weeklies may look more “efficient” per day on paper, but in practice, monthlies return more net premium due to better execution and tighter spreads.
2. Superior Liquidity and Tighter Spreads
   Market makers prioritize monthly expiries. The bid/ask spreads are narrower, meaning you lose less on the buy and sell side.
3. Better Open Interest and Volume
   Full-term options attract more traders. More liquidity = better fills and less slippage.
4. Simpler Management and Rolling
   Weekly positions expire quickly, requiring more active management. Monthly options give you breathing room to manage positions deliberately.
5. Lower Gamma Risk
   As weekly options approach expiration, price sensitivity (gamma) spikes. With monthlies, that curve is smoother.

If You’re Holding for a Month Anyway, Use the Monthly

This was a big insight for me: I realized that even though I was trading weekly options, I was often holding them for 2–4 weeks before rolling or closing. So why not start with the monthly to begin with?

Instead of targeting an August 30th expiry (a weekly), I now look at the August 16th full-term option. Or even better, go out to September 20th, sell the call, and manage or roll it earlier if needed.

You’re not locked in. You’re just operating on more favorable terms.

Why Weeklies Can Look Tempting: Volatility Magnifies the Premium

One of the big reasons I leaned into weekly options — especially with names like MicroStrategy (MSTR) — was the sheer volatility. When a stock regularly moves 5–10% in a week, the premiums on short-dated options get inflated fast. That meant:

• Juicy implied volatility (IV) priced into the premiums
• The ability to quickly collect income, sometimes multiple times in a month
• An opportunity to sell rich options even when far out-of-the-money

And it worked — for a while. MSTR’s wild swings made weeklies feel like an income machine. But as I looked deeper, I realized that those rich premiums came at a cost:

• Assignments became more frequent and harder to control
• Bid/ask spreads on later-dated weeklies were sloppy
• Managing positions every few days started to feel like a job

It became clear that even in high-IV environments, the structural advantages of monthly options often win out, especially when you’re trading size or managing a portfolio systematically.

Are High IV Weeklies Really That Much Better?

It’s true that weekly options often show higher implied volatility per day than monthlies. On paper, that makes them look more profitable. But here’s the reality:

Issue	Why It Hurts Weeklies
Wider bid/ask spreads	Slippage reduces your actual collected premium
Thin open interest	Poor fills or difficulty closing positions
Gamma spikes	Rapid, unpredictable price moves near expiry
More frequent management	More trades = more fees + more stress
Assignment risk	Especially with short-dated ITM options

So while weeklies may look more profitable in high-volatility stocks, monthlies often deliver more net premium with less friction, especially when scaled.

Who Weekly Options Are Still Good For

Despite all the advantages of monthly options, there are still specific situations—and traders—for whom weeklies make sense.

• Earnings Plays & Volatility Events: Traders who want to sell options around earnings or Fed announcements often prefer weeklies for their precision. The ability to target a specific date lets you isolate risk to that event window.
• Short-Term Directional Bets: If you’re speculating on a 1–3 day move in a stock, weeklies give you the cheapest and most gamma-sensitive exposure.
• Scalpers and Day Traders: Those managing trades by the hour or day often favor weeklies for their fast-moving nature. They’re nimble tools in the hands of professionals.
• High IV Environments: In stocks with elevated implied volatility (like MSTR), weeklies may offer juicy premiums that justify the risks—if managed closely.
• Exit Tactics: If a monthly covered call is expiring in-the-money, you may prefer to let the shares get called away and switch to puts rather than roll at a poor price. This can be a cleaner transition than forcing a roll for little premium or upside.

In short, weeklies are best for traders who are both tactically aggressive and highly active. They require more time, tighter discipline, and the ability to move quickly. They’re not inherently bad—but they’re often used inefficiently by traders who would be better off with the stability and performance of full-term options.

Final Thoughts

Weekly options are great for tactical plays, earnings speculation, or quick gamma scalps. But for consistent income, clean execution, and strategic control, monthly full-term options are superior.

This isn’t just theory. It’s a shift I’ve made in my own trading, and it’s already improved both my performance and my peace of mind.

If you’re looking for less friction, better fills, and stronger long-term returns, consider making the switch.

Monthly might not sound exciting—but it works.

Investing across borders opens up new opportunities for yield, growth, and diversification. But with international investing comes exposure to foreign currencies—and that means currency risk.If your home currency is the euro, US dollar, or any other, and you invest in assets priced in a different currency (like the British pound, Japanese yen, or Swiss franc), shifts in exchange rates will impact your actual return. Even if the investment performs well in local terms, currency fluctuations can boost or shrink your returns once converted back.Fortunately, there are effective strategies to manage this risk. Below are three simple approaches retail investors can use—along with a deeper look into how currency-hedged ETFs actually work.

1. Use Currency-Hedged ETFs

Best for: Investors who prefer a hands-off approach

Many ETF providers offer currency-hedged versions of their funds. These are designed to deliver the performance of the underlying investments while neutralizing the impact of currency movements relative to your base currency.

How does this work in practice?

Fund providers use rolling forward contracts—agreements to exchange currencies at a set rate on a future date. Each month (or sometimes weekly), the ETF manager enters into new contracts that match the value of the underlying portfolio. If the foreign currency weakens, gains from the forward contract offset the loss. If the currency strengthens, the gain in value is canceled out—but your exposure remains aligned with the core asset, not the currency.

This type of hedging is mechanical and systematic, often with little to no day-to-day impact for the investor. You just hold the fund as you would any normal ETF.

Examples for euro-based investors:

• iShares MSCI Japan EUR Hedged UCITS ETF
• Xtrackers FTSE 100 EUR Hedged UCITS ETF

How to do it:

• Log into your brokerage account
• Search for the hedged version of the fund (look for your currency and the word “hedged” in the name)
• Review the factsheet to confirm hedging frequency and method
• Buy as you would with any ETF

This approach works well when your goal is to track the equity or bond performance of a specific market, without letting currency fluctuations interfere.

2. Build a Natural Hedge Through Portfolio Diversification

Best for: Long-term investors with global exposure

A natural hedge uses the principle of balance. By holding assets in different currencies and regions, you avoid the risk of being overly exposed to just one. If one currency drops, gains in others may cushion the impact.

For example, an investor who holds:

• US stocks (USD exposure)
• Eurozone real estate (EUR exposure)
• UK dividend stocks (GBP exposure)
• A global bond ETF (mixed currency exposure)

…is unlikely to suffer major damage from a single currency movement.

How to do it:

• Analyze your portfolio by currency exposure
• Identify concentration risks
• Add international exposure gradually across geographies
• Rebalance once or twice a year

This approach relies on long-term alignment and reduces the need for ongoing management or financial products.

3. Use Forward Currency Contracts (with Help)

Best for: Larger portfolios or investors working with private banks or advisors

Forward contracts allow you to lock in a specific exchange rate for a future transaction. These are useful if you expect to sell an asset or receive dividends and want to fix the future cash flow in your local currency.

Banks or asset managers typically manage this process. For example, an investor planning to repatriate £100,000 from a UK investment next year might agree to exchange it at a fixed rate today, protecting against adverse currency moves.

How to do it:

• Contact your advisor or bank
• Ask about currency hedging using forwards
• Match contract dates with your expected income or exits

Final Thoughts

Global investing introduces currency risk, but this doesn’t need to be a source of stress. Whether you prefer the simplicity of a hedged ETF or the elegance of long-term portfolio balance, you have the tools to control your exposure. Choose the method that fits your strategy and move forward with confidence.

In the global investing landscape, the UK stock market often flies under the radar. It lacks the tech-heavy glamour of the US or the hyper-growth potential of emerging markets. Yet, a recent conversation with a long-time UK-based investor made me pause.

His portfolio, rooted in FTSE 100 stalwarts and selectively chosen high-value companies, has not only weathered market cycles but consistently produced impressive dividend income.>Notably, he didn’t just stick to broad index funds—he identified undervalued opportunities based on balance sheet strength and forward-looking fundamentals.

This prompted a deeper question: Does it make sense for a global investor to allocate part of their portfolio to UK equities? Let’s explore the strategic case for doing so.

1. Attractive Dividend Yields

The UK stock market is renowned for its high dividend yields. The FTSE 100 consistently offers a yield in the 3.5% to 4.5% range, often significantly higher than other developed markets.

Why? UK companies traditionally place a strong emphasis on returning capital to shareholders, and the market composition includes mature, cash-rich sectors like energy, financials, tobacco, and mining. These industries tend to support higher dividends because:

• They are capital-intensive but mature: With limited reinvestment opportunities for rapid expansion, these companies often distribute excess profits to shareholders.
• They generate steady, predictable cash flows: Utilities, oil majors, insurers, and tobacco companies typically operate in sectors with relatively stable demand, which enables consistent dividend payments.
• They are structurally profitable: Many benefit from strong pricing power, long-term contracts, or regulatory protections that support margins even during economic downturns.

Noteworthy examples include:

• British American Tobacco (BATS) – Yield ~5.7–6.0%
• Legal & General (LGEN) – Yield ~8.4–8.6%
• M&G (MNG) – Yield ~7.8–8.0%
• Phoenix Group (PHNX) – Yield ~8.3–8.6%

For investors focused on income, these yields remain very competitive—especially when compared to global peers, where 2–4% is often considered high. UK equities offer a rare combination of dividend consistency and attractive valuation that income-seeking investors should not overlook.

2. Diversification by Sector and Style

UK equities offer diversification benefits that go beyond geography. Many global portfolios today are heavily tilted toward growth-oriented tech, especially those focused on US or pan-European indices. The UK, by contrast, has a value tilt and is concentrated in sectors like:

• Energy and Resources: Shell, BP, Rio Tinto
• Financial Services: HSBC, Lloyds, Prudential
• Consumer Staples: Unilever, Diageo

This concentration and value bias are rooted in the historical and structural makeup of the UK economy. Unlike the US, which has fostered a vibrant ecosystem of high-growth technology firms, the UK’s capital markets have long been dominated by mature industries that emerged during its industrial and colonial past. Many of these sectors—such as oil, banking, and insurance—continue to play a central role in the UK’s economy and capital markets.

Furthermore, London’s role as a global financial hub has attracted listings from multinational companies that generate most of their revenue overseas but are valued on more traditional fundamentals like cash flow, dividends, and asset strength. This reinforces the market’s identity as a haven for income and value investors rather than growth chasers.

This makes UK equities a useful counterbalance to growth-heavy allocations. They also tend to perform better in inflationary environments or when interest rates rise, offering a form of macroeconomic hedging.

3. Valuation Discounts

UK equities trade at a meaningful discount to peers in the US and Europe. The FTSE 100 typically shows a forward P/E ratio in the 11–13x range, compared to 15–20x for the Euro Stoxx 50 and even higher for the S&P 500.

This discount is often attributed to:

• Brexit overhang and political uncertainty
• Sector mix that lacks high-growth tech
• Low domestic GDP growth

However, for long-term investors, valuation gaps of this magnitude can signal opportunity rather than weakness.

3a. Recent Tailwinds and Outperformance

Over the past two years, UK equities have enjoyed a notable run, with several large- and mid-cap names delivering substantial returns—some even doubling in value. This outperformance has been fueled by a combination of macroeconomic and structural tailwinds:

• Commodities and Energy Boom: Rising oil, gas, and commodity prices have significantly boosted profits and valuations for firms like Shell, BP, and Glencore.
• Weak Pound Sterling: A subdued GBP has inflated the value of foreign earnings when translated back to sterling—especially important since over 70% of FTSE 100 revenues come from abroad.
• Rising Interest Rates: The UK’s large financial sector has benefited from improved margins on lending and underwriting.
• Valuation Re-Rating: Many UK stocks began to re-rate as global capital returned in search of value and income.

An additional opportunity lies in potential acquisitions. Many UK-listed companies, particularly mid-cap and small-cap firms, are trading at valuations that make them attractive targets for larger global—often US-based—corporations. With the pound remaining relatively weak, UK assets are more affordable for foreign buyers, creating upside for existing shareholders.

4. Favorable Tax Treatment of Dividends

One of the standout advantages of UK equities is that the UK does not impose a withholding tax on dividends paid to non-residents. This is in stark contrast to many other European countries, where withholding taxes can range from 15% to 30%, often with complex refund procedures. As a result, non-UK investors receive dividend income gross, improving overall yield potential.

This benefit becomes even more powerful when combined with residence or structuring in tax-favorable jurisdictions. Here are a few notable examples:

• Malta: Through its full imputation system and tax refund mechanism, Maltese holding companies can receive dividends tax-free and remit them with partial refunds to shareholders. Foreign-sourced dividends are often not taxed at the personal level if structured via the remittance basis or through participation exemptions.
• Cyprus: Under the non-domicile regime, individuals who qualify as “non-doms” are exempt from taxes on worldwide dividends for 17 years. Many investors use Cyprus personal residency or holding company setups to shield passive income from tax entirely.
• Dubai (UAE): There is no personal income tax in the UAE. Both individuals and companies domiciled in Dubai can receive foreign dividends without any local taxation, making it highly attractive for high-net-worth investors and global entrepreneurs.
• Singapore: Singapore does not tax foreign dividends received by individuals, provided they are not remitted in a way deemed part of a business. For companies, exemptions or territorial-based rules may also apply. The country’s stable rule of law and pro-investor tax policy enhance its appeal.

In all these jurisdictions, the combination of no UK withholding tax and low or zero local tax can result in entirely tax-free dividend income—especially when using company structures, trusts, or appropriate personal residency status.

However, local tax treatment will ultimately depend on an investor’s personal tax residency, structuring, and remittance behavior. It is therefore advisable to consult with an international tax advisor before acting on these advantages.

5. Currency Exposure

For euro-based or other non-GBP investors, currency fluctuations add a layer of risk (or opportunity). A weak pound can drag on returns when repatriated, but a strengthening pound boosts your income and capital gains in local currency terms.

Investors can hedge this exposure in several ways:

• Currency-hedged ETFs: GBP-hedged versions of UK equity ETFs.
• Forward contracts or FX options: Used to lock in exchange rates.
• Natural hedging: Diversifying across multiple currencies in your portfolio.

Hedging adds complexity and potential cost, but it can protect purchasing power and stabilize returns over shorter investment horizons.

6. Access and Liquidity

London-listed shares are easily accessible via most international brokers. Platforms like Interactive Brokers, DEGIRO, or Saxo Bank offer direct access. Many UK companies also trade as ADRs on foreign exchanges, but direct LSE access often provides better liquidity and pricing.

For ETF investors, options include:

• iShares Core FTSE 100 UCITS ETF (ISF)
• Vanguard FTSE UK Equity Income Index Fund

7. Risks to Keep in Mind

• Sector concentration: Heavy weight in energy and finance.
• Political and regulatory risks: The UK continues to face policy instability and leadership turnover.
• Diminished geopolitical influence: The UK is no longer considered a global economic or political leader by many investors.
• Growth limitations: Sluggish domestic economy and limited tech/innovation exposure.

These are not reasons to avoid UK stocks outright, but they suggest the market should be seen as a complementary allocation, not the core of a global equity portfolio.

8. Who Should Consider UK Equities?

• Income-focused retirees or near-retirees
• Value-oriented investors
• Global diversification seekers
• Investors who value legal transparency in an English-speaking jurisdiction
• Residents in tax-favorable jurisdictions
• Contrarian investors betting on UK recovery and acquisitions

UK equities serve as a compelling complement—especially when income, diversification, and defensiveness are top priorities.

Conclusion: A Strategic Income and Diversification Play

For income-oriented investors or those seeking valuation discipline, the UK market is worth serious consideration. High dividend yields, no withholding tax, sectoral diversification, and valuation discounts make it a strong candidate for inclusion in a well-rounded global portfolio.

While the UK may not offer the explosive growth of tech or emerging markets, it provides consistency, cash flow, and a counterweight to dominant market narratives. For European investors in particular, it’s geographically close, structurally accessible, and fiscally efficient.

In an era of market froth and stretched valuations, that quiet dependability may be just what your portfolio needs.