There are a wide range of investment securities found on the stock market, and they range from easily understood to very complex. Stocks and bonds, for instance, can be fairly easy to understand and just as easily traded. However, the are countless ways to trade stocks and derivatives of them, known as options, are included. In the universe of stocks as investment securities, though, option contracts are a bit complex and you need to understand them thoroughly before getting into trading them, because while stock options trading is lucrative when done right it's also financially ruinous when done wrong.
Stock options themselves are known as "derivatives" in the trading world, because they derive their reason for existence from the stocks from which they originate. You're actually not buying or selling stocks when you purchase a stock option contract, however, at least not at first. What you buy in a stock option contract is a right, but not an obligation, to later purchase or sell the stocks making up or underlying that contract, with such stocks typically bound together in 100-share blocks. The world of trading in stock options is made up of a seemingly endless number of options contracts, though the options in most of them are generally allowed to expire rather than being exercised, to be truthful.
Though complex, stock option contracts are a popular trading tool because they can be used in a wide variety of investment strategies. Conservative as well as high-risk strategies and everything in between all lend themselves well to the intelligent use of stock options trading, but never forget that trading stock options isn't for the faint of heart. With potentially great reward, and stock options can bring lucrative financial payoff, comes potentially great risk, especially if you don't understand stock options, their contracts and how they're traded. Thoroughly understand stock options contracts before trading them, in other words.
Most neophyte investors are strongly advised to learn all they can about how stock options trading works before they take up the investment strategy precisely because financial ruin awaits if they don't do it correctly. Before funding a stock brokerage account -- and all reputable stock brokerages offer clients the ability to trade in stock option contracts -- read up on the basics of stocks and their derivative options. Understand, as well, what a stock option "call" is versus its opposite, the stock option "put." In stock options, a "call" is a right to buy an agreed-upon number of stocks in a contract, while a "put" is a right to sell an option contract's shares.
When it comes to stock options trading, contract fees or "premiums" per underlying share in the option contract are another key concept. A stock option contract premium is the price per share that you'll pay to obtain the option to buy or sell those shares in the future, and it's also your total cost to obtain that contract unless and until you exercise your option rights. When it comes to a stock option contract's premiums or fees, their costs vary by the contract. For instance, there might be a $1 per share premium attached to each underlying share within the 100-share block within the contract, or a $100 total premium at $1x100 shares to gain the right to purchase or sell the stock before the contract's expiration date, or expiry.
When it comes to stock options trading, you'll always find a "strike price" attached to the contract's language, with that strike price being the price per share you'll pay to gain those stocks if you exercise your option rights. For instance, your purchase of a 100-share stock option contract might cost you a $1 per share premium, or $100, and then a $10 per share strike price if you really do exercise your call or put option. When you exercise your stock option contract rights you'll be on the hook for the $10 per share strike price, meaning $1,000 to the contract's writer (at $10x100 shares = $,1000), but if the stock's actually worth $13 per share your profit when you sell those shares will be high. If the stock found within your stock option contract is only worth $9 on the markets, and your strike price is $10 to obtain that stock, you'd generally just let the contract expire and decline to exercise your option rights.
Once you've gained a basic understanding of just what a stock option contract is, you should consider taking some time to hang out with and learn from experienced stock options trading professionals. The Internet and the World Wide Web are filled with websites promising in-depth education on stock option contracts as an investment strategy. If you hope to succeed in the practice of trading in stock options investigate any website promising education in stock options fully before committing to it. And always be wary of websites promoting some sort of "autopilot" stock option contract trading software. You can make great wealth, as well as quickly lose your shirt, on stock options and options trading autopilot software holds more peril than promise for newbie investors.
There's little doubt that stock option contracts can be an exciting investment vehicle, and you should head over to the NASDAQ -- it was once called the "National Association of Securities Dealers, Automated Quotation" -- website to get an idea of what you're involving yourself in. If you've previously gained experience in the ins and outs of stocks and bonds and how they themselves are traded and you think you want to try your hand at stock options trading ensure you head over to several professional stock options trader-type websites before beginning. Always remember, as well, that stock option contracts are somewhat complex, and that the more time you can spend associating with professional options traders, learning from them, before striking out on your own, will always be helpful.
Stock options themselves are known as "derivatives" in the trading world, because they derive their reason for existence from the stocks from which they originate. You're actually not buying or selling stocks when you purchase a stock option contract, however, at least not at first. What you buy in a stock option contract is a right, but not an obligation, to later purchase or sell the stocks making up or underlying that contract, with such stocks typically bound together in 100-share blocks. The world of trading in stock options is made up of a seemingly endless number of options contracts, though the options in most of them are generally allowed to expire rather than being exercised, to be truthful.
Though complex, stock option contracts are a popular trading tool because they can be used in a wide variety of investment strategies. Conservative as well as high-risk strategies and everything in between all lend themselves well to the intelligent use of stock options trading, but never forget that trading stock options isn't for the faint of heart. With potentially great reward, and stock options can bring lucrative financial payoff, comes potentially great risk, especially if you don't understand stock options, their contracts and how they're traded. Thoroughly understand stock options contracts before trading them, in other words.
Most neophyte investors are strongly advised to learn all they can about how stock options trading works before they take up the investment strategy precisely because financial ruin awaits if they don't do it correctly. Before funding a stock brokerage account -- and all reputable stock brokerages offer clients the ability to trade in stock option contracts -- read up on the basics of stocks and their derivative options. Understand, as well, what a stock option "call" is versus its opposite, the stock option "put." In stock options, a "call" is a right to buy an agreed-upon number of stocks in a contract, while a "put" is a right to sell an option contract's shares.
When it comes to stock options trading, contract fees or "premiums" per underlying share in the option contract are another key concept. A stock option contract premium is the price per share that you'll pay to obtain the option to buy or sell those shares in the future, and it's also your total cost to obtain that contract unless and until you exercise your option rights. When it comes to a stock option contract's premiums or fees, their costs vary by the contract. For instance, there might be a $1 per share premium attached to each underlying share within the 100-share block within the contract, or a $100 total premium at $1x100 shares to gain the right to purchase or sell the stock before the contract's expiration date, or expiry.
When it comes to stock options trading, you'll always find a "strike price" attached to the contract's language, with that strike price being the price per share you'll pay to gain those stocks if you exercise your option rights. For instance, your purchase of a 100-share stock option contract might cost you a $1 per share premium, or $100, and then a $10 per share strike price if you really do exercise your call or put option. When you exercise your stock option contract rights you'll be on the hook for the $10 per share strike price, meaning $1,000 to the contract's writer (at $10x100 shares = $,1000), but if the stock's actually worth $13 per share your profit when you sell those shares will be high. If the stock found within your stock option contract is only worth $9 on the markets, and your strike price is $10 to obtain that stock, you'd generally just let the contract expire and decline to exercise your option rights.
Once you've gained a basic understanding of just what a stock option contract is, you should consider taking some time to hang out with and learn from experienced stock options trading professionals. The Internet and the World Wide Web are filled with websites promising in-depth education on stock option contracts as an investment strategy. If you hope to succeed in the practice of trading in stock options investigate any website promising education in stock options fully before committing to it. And always be wary of websites promoting some sort of "autopilot" stock option contract trading software. You can make great wealth, as well as quickly lose your shirt, on stock options and options trading autopilot software holds more peril than promise for newbie investors.
There's little doubt that stock option contracts can be an exciting investment vehicle, and you should head over to the NASDAQ -- it was once called the "National Association of Securities Dealers, Automated Quotation" -- website to get an idea of what you're involving yourself in. If you've previously gained experience in the ins and outs of stocks and bonds and how they themselves are traded and you think you want to try your hand at stock options trading ensure you head over to several professional stock options trader-type websites before beginning. Always remember, as well, that stock option contracts are somewhat complex, and that the more time you can spend associating with professional options traders, learning from them, before striking out on your own, will always be helpful.
About the Author:
Before you even think about trading stock option contracts, make sure you check out the Option Millionaires website and its tutorials on stock option investment strategies as well as its active stock option investment strategies trader forums.. This article, Stock Options Trading As A Potentially Lucrative Investment Strategy has free reprint rights.
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