Just recently, options in stock trading have been getting the attention they deserve from many traders. However, for quite some time now, investing on options has created quite a stigma in the market especially with the financial media and a few popular figures attaching such implications that trading options may be too risky or dangerous.
What you should know about trading options however, is that there are a lot of advantages that one can get from it. And as long as you are smart in handling your trades and with the use of the right strategies, you may be able to prevent risks from actually happening.
Cost Efficient
One thing about stock options is that they are well capable of leveraging or borrowing money in order to increase returns. It can be very possible for an investor to obtain option positions that copy stock positions without going overboard with the cost. A strategy known as a stock replacement, allows mimicking stocks possible but in a cost efficient way.
For example, for you to be able to purchase 200 shares of a $50 stock, you must pay $10,000. But if you were going to purchase a couple of $20 stock options, with the options representing 100 shares each, then you would only have to outlay $4,000 instead of $10,000. As an investor, you would be able to gain $6,000 for you to use in your discretion.
Of course, the whole process may not be as instant and as simple as the example provided. But if you are able to choose the right stock option for the process, then you may be successful in your attempts for this strategy.
High Potential Returns
Another fact about stock options is that you can actually spend less money, but still make almost the same profit. Because of this, you can surely expect to gain a much higher percentage of returns as compared to normal stock trading. Of course, this would mean that you can actually earn so much more and your investment can surely pay off.
More Investment Alternatives Are Offered
Another very good advantage in trading options is the fact that they can offer more strategic alternatives for investment as compared to traditional stocks. Because options are very flexible, there can be a lot of way to use them.
Take in mind that options are actually the rights to trading a particular stock, and so, there may be various ways that an investor can actually use these rights to benefit him or herself.
The use of these options allow an investor to trade not only through stock movements, but through the passage of time and unpredictability in the market as well. And this can be very beneficial because most stocks rarely move significantly. Options strategically offer alternatives for a trader to do business in every type of market.
These are only a few of the major advantages of trading stock options, but as you can see, they are enough reason to tell you that going into this type of market can really be beneficial. With the low costs, direct access to stock options through the Internet, and with such benefits at hand, it is no wonder why stock options trading have become a part of the financial circles these days.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Stock Options - Comparing The Two Types
The trade for stock options is fast on the rise in the market these days. With its many trading benefits and high promises for financial profit, many have become quite interested in buying and selling such contracts. Let us learn about the two types of these options in order to better understand how to trade them.
Knowing how each of these options would work to your benefit as the contract holder can surely come in handy with the volatile trends ongoing in the stock market.
The two major types of option contracts are the call option and the put option. Each of these contracts holds rights and benefits for their owners. Let us discuss each of these and how they can be useful to you.
Call Options
A call option is a type of contract that gives its owner the right to buy the underlying stock at a certain fixed price (also called the strike price) within a specified time frame, which should be on or before the expiry date. The buyer of a call holds the right to purchase shares at the strike price until the date of expiry. The writer or the seller of the call on the other hand, holds the obligation.
If a call buyer chooses to exercise his or her option by deciding to purchase the underlying share, then the call writer is then obliged to sell his or her share at the negotiated strike price.
For example, an investor purchases a call option from a certain company with a strike price of $10, which will expire in two months, then that buyer holds the right to exercise his or her option by paying the value of $10 for each share. The writer, on the other hand, would be obligated to give up the shares in the exchange for $10 for each of them.
Put Options
On the other hand, a put option is the total opposite of the previous. It is a contract that allows one to sell the underlying stock at a certain price on or before the expiry date. A put buyer holds the right to sell shares at the strike price, and following this, a put writer will then be obliged to sell at the negotiated price.
And so, if the investors who have purchased the stocks of a company would have growing concerns that business may not fair a current market slump, then they can buy a put option at a certain strike price in order to ensure the safety of their gains.
These investors would then hold the right, until expiry, to be able to sell their stock shares for the same amount they paid for them. Sellers of the put are then obligated to buy back the shares. If in the event that the company really did not do well during the market slump, then this could hurt on the part of the put seller.
Knowing about the differences between these two types of options are the first major step to guide you in making decisions in trading stock options. Be sure that you know what risks are involved in each type, so you would be able to know whether to buy a call or put option with the current behaviors of the stock market.
Knowing how each of these options would work to your benefit as the contract holder can surely come in handy with the volatile trends ongoing in the stock market.
The two major types of option contracts are the call option and the put option. Each of these contracts holds rights and benefits for their owners. Let us discuss each of these and how they can be useful to you.
Call Options
A call option is a type of contract that gives its owner the right to buy the underlying stock at a certain fixed price (also called the strike price) within a specified time frame, which should be on or before the expiry date. The buyer of a call holds the right to purchase shares at the strike price until the date of expiry. The writer or the seller of the call on the other hand, holds the obligation.
If a call buyer chooses to exercise his or her option by deciding to purchase the underlying share, then the call writer is then obliged to sell his or her share at the negotiated strike price.
For example, an investor purchases a call option from a certain company with a strike price of $10, which will expire in two months, then that buyer holds the right to exercise his or her option by paying the value of $10 for each share. The writer, on the other hand, would be obligated to give up the shares in the exchange for $10 for each of them.
Put Options
On the other hand, a put option is the total opposite of the previous. It is a contract that allows one to sell the underlying stock at a certain price on or before the expiry date. A put buyer holds the right to sell shares at the strike price, and following this, a put writer will then be obliged to sell at the negotiated price.
And so, if the investors who have purchased the stocks of a company would have growing concerns that business may not fair a current market slump, then they can buy a put option at a certain strike price in order to ensure the safety of their gains.
These investors would then hold the right, until expiry, to be able to sell their stock shares for the same amount they paid for them. Sellers of the put are then obligated to buy back the shares. If in the event that the company really did not do well during the market slump, then this could hurt on the part of the put seller.
Knowing about the differences between these two types of options are the first major step to guide you in making decisions in trading stock options. Be sure that you know what risks are involved in each type, so you would be able to know whether to buy a call or put option with the current behaviors of the stock market.
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