What is Options ?

Contributed by Kamal Latip. TQVM.

Much like stocks, options can be used to take a position on the market in an effort to capitalize on an upward or downward market move. Unlike stocks, however, options can provide an investor the benefits of leverage over a position in an individual stock or basket of stocks reflecting the broad market. At the same time, options buyers also can take advantage of predetermined, limited risk. Conversely, options writers assume significant risk if they do not hedge their positions.

An option is the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a stock (or other security) for a specified price on or before a specific date. A call is the right to buy the stock, while a put is the right to sell the stock. The person who purchases an option, whether it is a put or a call, is the option "buyer." Conversely, the person who originally sells the put or call is the option "seller."

Options are contracts in which the terms of the contract are standardized and give the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a particular asset (e.g., the underlying stock) at a fixed price (the strike price) for a specific period of time (until expiration). To the buyer, an equity call option normally represents the right to buy 100 shares of underlying stock, whereas an equity put option normally represents the right to sell 100 shares of underlying stock.

The seller of an option is obligated to perform according to the terms of the options contract-selling the stock at the contracted price (the strike price) for a call seller, or purchasing it for a put seller-if the option is exercised by the buyer.


Why trade options ?

Option trading has been increasing in popularity over the last few years as options provide traders with several advantages:

1. Leverage – Higher returns and lower cash outlay. Stock trading is expensive. In order to buy 100 shares of XYZ stock at $100 per share, you’ll need $10,000. Although this might not seem like a huge amount of money to some people, $10,000 might be a big sum for new traders. If XYZ moved up five points, you would make 5% on your money. With options, you can control or participate in the movement of a stock for a lot less money and earn a higher rate of return. If instead of buying the stock, you purchased an XYZ January 100 call, which gives you the right to buy 100 shares of XYZ stock at $100 on or before the January expiration date, you would have made over 250%!!! Now that’s leverage!

2. Flexibility/versatility – With stock, traders can be either bullish or bearish. With options, traders can be bullish, bearish or neutral. Options can be used by themselves or in conjunction with stock. Options can also be used in combination with other options to create many different risk/reward scenarios.

3. Predetermined risks – For option buyers, the most you can ever lose is the amount paid for the option. You know in advance how much you can lose.

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