World Biz Info
The source of the best business, financial and legal news
web www.worldbizinfo.com
Business Informations

Options Trading - Advantages and Disadvantages


What is Options Trading?

An option is simply granting someone the right to buy or sell something in the future. In the case of Dow index futures options, when someone buys a Dow call option they are buying the right to purchase that underlying Dow future at a specific price, known as the "strike price," at a future point in time, known as the "expiration date." When an investor buys a put, they are essentially selling the market; a call essentially buys the market. Likewise, selling a put essentially buys the market; selling a call essentially sells the market.

In order to receive the opportunity to buy an option on this future, investors pay a "premium." If the market does not reach the strike price of the option, then that option will expire worthless on the expiration date. If the market does reach the strike price of the option on the expiration date, then the investor will be assigned the underlying future at that strike price.

Advantages of Options Trading

Flexibility. Options can be used in a wide variety of strategies, from conservative to high-risk, and can be tailored to more expectations than simply "the stock will go up" or "the stock will go down."

Leverage. An investor can gain leverage in a stock without committing to a trade.

Limited Risk. Risk is limited to the option premium (except when writing options for a security that is not already owned).

Hedging. Options allow investors to protect their positions against price fluctuations when it is not desirable to alter the underlying positon.

Disadvantages of Options Trading

Costs. The costs of trading options (including both commissions and the bid/ask spread) is significantly higher on a percentage basis than trading the underlying stock, and these costs can drastically eat into any profits.

Liquidity. With the vast array of different strike prices available, some will suffer from very low liquidity making trading difficult.

Complexity. Options are very complex and require a great deal of observation and maintenance.

Time decay. The time-sensitive nature of options leads to the result that most options expire worthless. This only applies to those traders that purchase options - those selling collect the premium but with:

Unlimited Risk. Some option positions, such as writing uncovered options, are accompanied by unlimited risk.

Overall Options present a good opportunity to formulate plans which can take advantage of volatility in underlying markets as well as price direction. However for most traders the disadvantages are significant and online futures trading is usually a better option.

Tim Wreford runs Online Futures Trading, a website that provides information and resources for traders. Tim also provides a free day trading system, the results of which are updated daily on the site.


MORE RESOURCES:

Times Online

Iceland's Krona Currency Trading Halts as Kaupthing Taken Over
Bloomberg - Oct 9, 2008
... a currency analyst in Frankfurt at Commerzbank AG, Germany's second-largest lender. The krona plummeted to 350 per euro this week in trading between ...
Isolated Iceland wonders who to turn to for help International Herald Tribune
Shortest. Currency Peg. Ever. Wall Street Journal Blogs
Why now is the time to visit Iceland Times Online
Wall Street Journal Blogs
all 35 news articles


Stampede for Yen Saps Asian Currency Trading
Wall Street Journal - Oct 9, 2008
Meanwhile, hedging against foreign-exchange risk has become more difficult as options related to currency trading have become more expensive, Mr. Liu said. ...


CNBC

GLOBAL MARKETS-Selling frenzy persists as confidence crumbles
guardian.co.uk, UK - Oct 10, 2008
The dollar rose to a 15-month high against a basket of major currencies as investors scrambled for cash preferably in the world's reserve currency. ...
Yen Rises on Speculation Stocks Rout Will Reverse Carry Trades Bloomberg
Dollar gains as global equities keep sinking Forbes
Markets Remain Panic Stricken HoweStreet.com
The Associated Press - Bloomberg
all 605 news articles


Today's Zaman

Currency exchange remains unseen to many but felt by all
Today's Zaman, Turkey - 8 hours ago
Back at the currency trading floor, pushing through the 60 or so men squeezed in an alley about 30 meters in length and three meters in width, ...
Central Bank to facilitate foreign currency trades Turkish Daily News (subscription)
all 3 news articles


Growing Fears, High Dollar Demand Engulf FX Market
동아일보, South Korea - Oct 9, 2008
“Unless the market has sufficient foreign currency trading volume to absorb the impact of foreign stock sell-offs, a sharp depreciation cannot be avoided,” ...


Sify

MCX Stock Exchange begins currency trading
Sify, India - Oct 7, 2008
Mumbai: MCX Stock Exchange (MCX-SX) has recorded a turnover of Rs 287.49 crore with 59952 contracts valued at $1000 traded on the first day of currency ...


Ninemsn

Dollar bounces back
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - Oct 8, 2008
The local currency was trading at $US0.6698 just before the data was released at 11.30am, but fell to $US0.6684 shortly afterwards. ...
$A opens lower after weak Wall St finish The Age
Dollar falls lower, to US66c NEWS.com.au
Dollar closes down, at US66c The Australian
Sydney Morning Herald - NEWS.com.au
all 348 news articles


CBC.ca

Loonie takes steepest one-day dive ever, trading extremely volatile
The Canadian Press, TORONTO - Oct 10, 2008
However, the volatile trading in the currency makes it difficult for companies and consumers to adapt to such rapid changes. ...
Loonie pounded again, heading for worst week since '71 CBC.ca
Loonie’s tumble continues TheChronicleHerald.ca
Canadian dollar takes steepest one-day dive The Associated Press
FXstreet.com The Foreign Exchange Market - Bloomberg
all 377 news articles


Forex Trading Signals Outperform on Explosive Market Volatility ...
Daily FX, NY - Oct 9, 2008
Forex markets continue to see tremendous volatility on persistent turmoil in broader financial markets, and our “Breakout” currency trading signals have ...
Euro/US Dollar Forecast to Decline According to Forex Trading Signals Daily FX
all 3 news articles


Asian Currencies: Indian Rupee, Rupiah, Singapore Dollar Tumble
Bloomberg - Oct 10, 2008
The currency fell as much as 4.4 percent from a week ago to an all-time low of 49.26, the biggest loss since March 1993. Singapore's dollar dropped 2 ...
S.Korea scrambles to defend sliding markets Reuters
S. Korean won swings most in a decade on intervention China Post
Nikkei Dives 9.4 Percent in Biggest 1-Day Fall Since '87 Washington Post
Straits Times - RTT News
all 136 news articles

currency trading - Google News

home | site map
© 2006
web www.worldbizinfo.com