I’ll be live at 11:30 a.m. ET with Jeffry Turnmire🚨
You can smooth out market volatility and produce reliable income in choppy markets — we’ll show you how and more [tap to join us for Market Masters]
Look, I get this question all the time…
How do you pick stocks to trade?
And honestly? It’s not complicated — but it is non-negotiable. I’ve got five criteria every stock has to meet before it even gets on my radar.
Miss one? Sorry, not interested — no matter how pretty the chart looks.
Let me walk you through what I’m looking for and why each one matters when you’re trying to generate consistent income.
The Non-Negotiables: What Makes the Cut
First thing: It’s gotta have weekly options. Period — end of story.
Weekly expirations give me flexibility and control — the ability to react quickly, roll efficiently and stay ahead of the market’s short-term rhythm. Without that cadence, it’s hard to maintain consistent results.
Second: Beta over 1, preferably over 2. That’s the juice that makes premiums worth collecting. When you combine that kind of volatility with a solid trend, you’re in business.
Third: The stock needs to be in an uptrend. I pull up a six-month chart and look at the structure. If I’m selling puts, I want to see higher lows. If it’s choppy or rolling over, I don’t care how cheap the shares are.
Fourth: Price accessibility. Under $2,000 opens up great opportunities and anything under $10,000 is workable for most accounts. I’m not looking to tie up massive capital on one name when I can diversify across multiple setups.
And fifth: Dividend safety rating. I want quality. A strong rating tells me the company can support its payout through good markets and bad, which stabilizes the income side of my trades.
What Happens When You Ignore the Rules
Here’s the thing — I see traders get tempted all the time.
They find a stock with a gorgeous trend, decent beta and maybe even a dividend. But if it’s missing weeklies, it doesn’t fit my approach.
You might still make money, but you lose the ability to operate on a tight seven-day cycle that keeps adjustments smooth and income consistent.
There’s also a personal filter I never compromise on: I won’t trade companies involved in unethical practices or businesses I fundamentally don’t trust.
I want my capital working in places I’m comfortable with, and if that eliminates a few tickers from the lineup, so be it.
At the end of the day, this isn’t about chasing the hot stock of the day. It’s about running a repeatable process that works whether the market’s up, down or sideways.
If a stock checks all five boxes, I’m interested. If it doesn’t, there’s always another pitch.
Trade well,
Jack Carter
Jack Carter Trading
Follow along and join the conversation for real-time analysis, trade ideas, market insights and more!
- Telegram: //t.me/jackcartertrading1
- YouTube: //www.youtube.com/@FinancialWars
Important Note: No one from the ProsperityPub team or Jack Carter Trading will ever contact you directly on Telegram.
*This is for informational and educational purposes only. There is inherent risk in trading, so trade at your own risk.
P.S. This Trading Approach Goes Against Everything You Know
Lean closer…
What you’re about to see goes against everything you’ve been taught about options — flipping traditional wisdom upside down.
Here’s what’s actually incredible. This setup is built for the exact kind of volatility we’re seeing in today’s market.
Here’s what’s actually incredible. This setup is built for the exact kind of volatility we’re seeing in today’s market.
It’s already weathered some of the market’s most volatile storms in the past, and I’m trusting it to take us through these fresh yet chaotic waters.
I can’t make absolute trading guarantees, of course.
But if you’d like to see how I plan to go after the market armed with this unconventional setup — and even tag along if you choose…
