Options

  1. Introduction
  2. Securities Markets
  3. Brokers and Dealers
  4. Economic Factors
  5. Stocks and Shareholder's Rights
  6. Options
  7. Investment Products
  8. Alternative Investments
  9. Risk of Investing
  10. Trading Types and Accounts
  11. Rules of SEC and FINRA
  12. Prohibited Activities

Call and Put Options

Options

Options are financial instruments that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a specified price within a certain time frame. They are essentially contracts between two parties, where the buyer pays a premium to the seller for the right to exercise the option at a later date. The buyer of an option is betting on whether the price of the underlying asset will rise or fall, while the seller is betting on the opposite. Options can be used for a variety of purposes, including hedging against potential losses or speculating on future market movements.

What are options

There are two main types of options: call options, which give the holder the right to buy the underlying asset, and put options, which give the holder the right to sell the underlying asset.

Call Options Put Options Writing Put Options

Strategies for Options

Strategies to Use Options

Options can be used to implement a variety of trading strategies, depending on an investor's objectives and market expectations. A call option is a contract that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy the underlying asset at a specified price, while a put option is a contract that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to sell the underlying asset at a specified price. One common strategy using options is called a covered call, in which an investor who owns the underlying asset sells call options to generate income while retaining ownership of the asset. Another strategy is a protective put, in which an investor buys put options to protect against potential losses in the underlying asset. Option spreads, such as a bull call spread or a bear put spread, involve buying and selling options with different strike prices and can be used to limit risk and potentially increase returns. Overall, options provide investors with a flexible and customizable tool to manage risk and potentially profit from market movements.

strategies for options strategies for options strategies for options

In-the-Money, Out-of-the-Money, At-the-Money

What are they?

In options trading, the terms "in the money," "out of the money," and "at the money" are used to describe the relationship between the current market price of an underlying asset and the strike price of an option. Understanding these concepts is crucial for options traders to determine the potential profitability and risk associated with a trade. "In the money" options have intrinsic value, "out of the money" options have no intrinsic value, and "at the money" options have a strike price that is equal to the current market price of the underlying asset. The position of an option relative to the current market price can have a significant impact on its value and the potential profit or loss of the trade.

in the money out of the money at the money

Exercising Options

Exercising Options

Exercising options refers to the act of using an option to buy or sell the underlying asset at the specified strike price. There are two types of options contracts, American and European, that differ in the timing of when an option can be exercised. American options can be exercised at any time before the expiration date, while European options can only be exercised on the expiration date. Exercising an option can be profitable if the market price of the underlying asset is favorable to the holder of the option, allowing them to either buy or sell the asset at a favorable price. However, it is important for the option holder to carefully consider market conditions and their investment objectives before deciding to exercise an option.

Exercising Options

Pricing Options

How Options are Priced

The pricing of options is determined by various factors, including the current market price of the underlying asset, the strike price of the option, the time to expiration, the volatility of the underlying asset, and the risk-free interest rate. The most widely used pricing model for options is the Black-Scholes model, which takes into account these factors to calculate the fair value of an option. The Black-Scholes model assumes that the underlying asset follows a random walk and that the volatility is constant over the life of the option. Other pricing models include the binomial model and the Monte Carlo simulation. The price of an option can fluctuate based on changes in any of these factors, making options a complex and dynamic financial instrument.

Pricing Options

Welcome to your Options