суббота, 19 мая 2018 г.

Equity options trading strategies


10 Options Strategies to Know.


10 Options Strategies To Know.


Too often, traders jump into the options game with little or no understanding of how many options strategies are available to limit their risk and maximize return. With a little bit of effort, however, traders can learn how to take advantage of the flexibility and full power of options as a trading vehicle. With this in mind, we've put together this slide show, which we hope will shorten the learning curve and point you in the right direction.


10 Options Strategies To Know.


Too often, traders jump into the options game with little or no understanding of how many options strategies are available to limit their risk and maximize return. With a little bit of effort, however, traders can learn how to take advantage of the flexibility and full power of options as a trading vehicle. With this in mind, we've put together this slide show, which we hope will shorten the learning curve and point you in the right direction.


1. Covered Call.


Aside from purchasing a naked call option, you can also engage in a basic covered call or buy-write strategy. In this strategy, you would purchase the assets outright, and simultaneously write (or sell) a call option on those same assets. Your volume of assets owned should be equivalent to the number of assets underlying the call option. Investors will often use this position when they have a short-term position and a neutral opinion on the assets, and are looking to generate additional profits (through receipt of the call premium), or protect against a potential decline in the underlying asset's value. (For more insight, read Covered Call Strategies For A Falling Market.)


2. Married Put.


In a married put strategy, an investor who purchases (or currently owns) a particular asset (such as shares), simultaneously purchases a put option for an equivalent number of shares. Investors will use this strategy when they are bullish on the asset's price and wish to protect themselves against potential short-term losses. This strategy essentially functions like an insurance policy, and establishes a floor should the asset's price plunge dramatically. (For more on using this strategy, see Married Puts: A Protective Relationship . )


3. Bull Call Spread.


In a bull call spread strategy, an investor will simultaneously buy call options at a specific strike price and sell the same number of calls at a higher strike price. Both call options will have the same expiration month and underlying asset. This type of vertical spread strategy is often used when an investor is bullish and expects a moderate rise in the price of the underlying asset. (To learn more, read Vertical Bull and Bear Credit Spreads.)


4. Bear Put Spread.


The bear put spread strategy is another form of vertical spread​ like the bull call spread. In this strategy, the investor will simultaneously purchase put options at a specific strike price and sell the same number of puts at a lower strike price. Both options would be for the same underlying asset and have the same expiration date. This method is used when the trader is bearish and expects the underlying asset's price to decline. It offers both limited gains and limited losses. (For more on this strategy, read Bear Put Spreads: A Roaring Alternative To Short Selling.)


Investopedia Academy "Options for Beginners"


Now that you've learned a few different options strategies, if you're ready to take the next step and learn to:


Improve flexibility in your portfolio by adding options Approach Calls as down-payments, and Puts as insurance Interpret expiration dates, and distinguish intrinsic value from time value Calculate breakevens and risk management Explore advanced concepts such as spreads, straddles, and strangles.


5. Protective Collar.


A protective collar strategy is performed by purchasing an out-of-the-money put option and writing an out-of-the-money call option at the same time, for the same underlying asset (such as shares). This strategy is often used by investors after a long position in a stock has experienced substantial gains. In this way, investors can lock in profits without selling their shares. (For more on these types of strategies, see Don't Forget Your Protective Collar and How a Protective Collar Works.)


6. Long Straddle.


A long straddle options strategy is when an investor purchases both a call and put option with the same strike price, underlying asset and expiration date simultaneously. An investor will often use this strategy when he or she believes the price of the underlying asset will move significantly, but is unsure of which direction the move will take. This strategy allows the investor to maintain unlimited gains, while the loss is limited to the cost of both options contracts. (For more, read Straddle Strategy A Simple Approach To Market Neutral . )


7. Long Strangle.


In a long strangle options strategy, the investor purchases a call and put option with the same maturity and underlying asset, but with different strike prices. The put strike price will typically be below the strike price of the call option, and both options will be out of the money. An investor who uses this strategy believes the underlying asset's price will experience a large movement, but is unsure of which direction the move will take. Losses are limited to the costs of both options; strangles will typically be less expensive than straddles because the options are purchased out of the money. (For more, see Get A Strong Hold On Profit With Strangles.)


8. Butterfly Spread.


All the strategies up to this point have required a combination of two different positions or contracts. In a butterfly spread options strategy, an investor will combine both a bull spread strategy and a bear spread strategy, and use three different strike prices. For example, one type of butterfly spread involves purchasing one call (put) option at the lowest (highest) strike price, while selling two call (put) options at a higher (lower) strike price, and then one last call (put) option at an even higher (lower) strike price. (For more on this strategy, read Setting Profit Traps With Butterfly Spreads . )


9. Iron Condor.


An even more interesting strategy is the iron condor. In this strategy, the investor simultaneously holds a long and short position in two different strangle strategies. The iron condor is a fairly complex strategy that definitely requires time to learn, and practice to master. (We recommend reading more about this strategy in Take Flight With An Iron Condor, Should You Flock To Iron Condors? and try the strategy for yourself (risk-free!) using the Investopedia Simulator.)


10. Iron Butterfly.


The final options strategy we will demonstrate here is the iron butterfly. In this strategy, an investor will combine either a long or short straddle with the simultaneous purchase or sale of a strangle. Although similar to a butterfly spread, this strategy differs because it uses both calls and puts, as opposed to one or the other. Profit and loss are both limited within a specific range, depending on the strike prices of the options used. Investors will often use out-of-the-money options in an effort to cut costs while limiting risk. (To learn more, read What is an Iron Butterfly Option Strategy?)


The NASDAQ Options Trading Guide.


Equity options today are hailed as one of the most successful financial products to be introduced in modern times. Options have proven to be superior and prudent investment tools offering you, the investor, flexibility, diversification and control in protecting your portfolio or in generating additional investment income. We hope you'll find this to be a helpful guide for learning how to trade options.


Understanding Options.


Options are financial instruments that can be used effectively under almost every market condition and for almost every investment goal. Among a few of the many ways, options can help you:


Protect your investments against a decline in market prices Increase your income on current or new investments Buy an equity at a lower price Benefit from an equity price’s rise or fall without owning the equity or selling it outright.


Benefits of Trading Options:


Orderly, Efficient and Liquid Markets.


Standardized option contracts allow for orderly, efficient and liquid option markets.


Flexibility.


Options are an extremely versatile investment tool. Because of their unique risk/reward structure, options can be used in many combinations with other option contracts and/or other financial instruments to seek profits or protection.


An equity option allows investors to fix the price for a specific period of time at which an investor can purchase or sell 100 shares of an equity for a premium (price), which is only a percentage of what one would pay to own the equity outright. This allows option investors to leverage their investment power while increasing their potential reward from an equity’s price movements.


Limited Risk for Buyer.


Unlike other investments where the risks may have no boundaries, options trading offers a defined risk to buyers. An option buyer absolutely cannot lose more than the price of the option, the premium. Because the right to buy or sell the underlying security at a specific price expires on a given date, the option will expire worthless if the conditions for profitable exercise or sale of the option contract are not met by the expiration date. An uncovered option seller (sometimes referred to as the uncovered writer of an option), on the other hand, may face unlimited risk.


This options trading guide provides an overview of characteristics of equity options and how these investments work in the following segments:


Get Options Quotes.


Enter a company name or symbol below to view its options chain sheet:


Options Center Home.


Edit Favorites.


Enter up to 25 symbols separated by commas or spaces in the text box below. These symbols will be available during your session for use on applicable pages.


Customize your NASDAQ experience.


Select the background color of your choice:


Select a default target page for your quote search:


Please confirm your selection:


You have selected to change your default setting for the Quote Search. This will now be your default target page; unless you change your configuration again, or you delete your cookies. Are you sure you want to change your settings?


Please disable your ad blocker (or update your settings to ensure that javascript and cookies are enabled), so that we can continue to provide you with the first-rate market news and data you've come to expect from us.


4 Common Active Trading Strategies.


Active trading is the act of buying and selling securities based on short-term movements to profit from the price movements on a short-term stock chart. The mentality associated with an active trading strategy differs from the long-term, buy-and-hold strategy. The buy-and-hold strategy employs a mentality that suggests that price movements over the long term will outweigh the price movements in the short term and, as such, short-term movements should be ignored. Active traders, on the other hand, believe that short-term movements and capturing the market trend are where the profits are made. There are various methods used to accomplish an active-trading strategy, each with appropriate market environments and risks inherent in the strategy. Here are four of the most common types of active trading and the built-in costs of each strategy. (Active trading is a popular strategy for those trying to beat the market average. To learn more, check out How To Outperform The Market .)


Day trading is perhaps the most well known active-trading style. It's often considered a pseudonym for active trading itself. Day trading, as its name implies, is the method of buying and selling securities within the same day. Positions are closed out within the same day they are taken, and no position is held overnight. Traditionally, day trading is done by professional traders, such as specialists or market makers. However, electronic trading has opened up this practice to novice traders. (For related reading, also see Day Trading Strategies For Beginners .)


[ Learning which strategy is going to work best for you is one of the first steps you need to take as an aspiring trader . If you're interested in day trading, Investopedia Academy's Day Trader Course can teach you a proven strategy that includes six different types of trades. ]


Some actually consider position trading to be a buy-and-hold strategy and not active trading. However, position trading, when done by an advanced trader, can be a form of active trading. Position trading uses longer term charts - anywhere from daily to monthly - in combination with other methods to determine the trend of the current market direction. This type of trade may last for several days to several weeks and sometimes longer, depending on the trend. Trend traders look for successive higher highs or lower highs to determine the trend of a security. By jumping on and riding the "wave," trend traders aim to benefit from both the up and downside of market movements. Trend traders look to determine the direction of the market, but they do not try to forecast any price levels. Typically, trend traders jump on the trend after it has established itself, and when the trend breaks, they usually exit the position. This means that in periods of high market volatility, trend trading is more difficult and its positions are generally reduced.


When a trend breaks, swing traders typically get in the game. At the end of a trend, there is usually some price volatility as the new trend tries to establish itself. Swing traders buy or sell as that price volatility sets in. Swing trades are usually held for more than a day but for a shorter time than trend trades. Swing traders often create a set of trading rules based on technical or fundamental analysis; these trading rules or algorithms are designed to identify when to buy and sell a security. While a swing-trading algorithm does not have to be exact and predict the peak or valley of a price move, it does need a market that moves in one direction or another. A range-bound or sideways market is a risk for swing traders. (For more on swing trading, see our Introduction To Swing Trading .)


Scalping is one of the quickest strategies employed by active traders. It includes exploiting various price gaps caused by bid/ask spreads and order flows. The strategy generally works by making the spread or buying at the bid price and selling at the ask price to receive the difference between the two price points. Scalpers attempt to hold their positions for a short period, thus decreasing the risk associated with the strategy. Additionally, a scalper does not try to exploit large moves or move high volumes; rather, they try to take advantage of small moves that occur frequently and move smaller volumes more often. Since the level of profits per trade is small, scalpers look for more liquid markets to increase the frequency of their trades. And unlike swing traders, scalpers like quiet markets that aren't prone to sudden price movements so they can potentially make the spread repeatedly on the same bid/ask prices. (To learn more on this active trading strategy, read Scalping: Small Quick Profits Can Add Up . )


Costs Inherent with Trading Strategies.


There's a reason active trading strategies were once only employed by professional traders. Not only does having an in-house brokerage house reduce the costs associated with high-frequency trading, but it also ensures a better trade execution. Lower commissions and better execution are two elements that improve the profit potential of the strategies. Significant hardware and software purchases are required to successfully implement these strategies in addition to real-time market data. These costs make successfully implementing and profiting from active trading somewhat prohibitive for the individual trader, although not all together unachievable.


Active traders can employ one or many of the aforementioned strategies. However, before deciding on engaging in these strategies, the risks and costs associated with each one need to be explored and considered. (For related reading, also take a look at Risk Management Techniques For Active Traders .)


Top 5 Popular Trading Strategies.


This article will show you some of the most common trading strategies and also how you can analyze the pros and cons of each one to decide the best one for your personal trading style.


The top five strategies that we will cover are as follows:


Breakouts are one of the most common techniques used in the market to trade. They consist of identifying a key price level and then buying or selling as the price breaks that pre determined level. The expectation is that if the price has enough force to break the level then it will continue to move in that direction.


The concept of a breakout is relatively simple and requires a moderate understanding of support and resistance.


When the market is trending and moving strongly in one direction, breakout trading ensures that you never miss the move.


Generally breakouts are used when the market is already at or near the extreme high / lows of the recent past. The expectation is that the price will continue moving with the trend and actually break the extreme high and continue. With this in mind, to effectively take the trade we simply need to place an order just above the high or just below the low so that the trade automatically gets entered when the price moves. These are called limit orders.


It is very important to avoid trading breakouts when the market is not trending because this will result in false trades that result in losses. The reason for these losses is that the market does not have the momentum to continue the move beyond the extreme highs and lows. When the price hits these areas, it usually then drops back down into the previous range, resulting in losses for any traders trying to hold in the direction of the move.


Retracements.


Retracements require a slightly different skill set and revolve around the trader identifying a clear direction for the price to move in and become confident that the price will continue moving in. This strategy is based on the fact that after each move in the expected direction, the price will temporarily reverse as traders take their profits and novice participants attempt to trade in the opposite direction. These pull backs or retracements actually offer professional traders with a much better price at which to enter in the original direction just before the continuation of the move.


When trading retracements support and resistance is also used, as with break outs. Fundamental analysis is also crucial to this type of trading.


When the initial move has taken place traders will be aware of the various price levels that have already been breached in the original move. They pay particular attention to key levels of Support and Resistance and areas on the price chart such as ‘00’ levels. These are the levels that they will look to buy or sell from later on.


Retracements are only used by traders during times when short term sentiment is altered by economic events and news. This news can cause temporary shocks to the market which result in these retracements against the direction of the original move.


The initial reasons for the move may still be in place but the short term event may cause investors to become nervous and take their profits, which in turn causes the retracement. Because the initial conditions remain this then offers other professional investors an opportunity to get back into the move at a better price, which they very often do.


Retracement trading is generally ineffective when there are no clear fundamental reasons for the move in the first place. Therefore if you see a large move but cannot identify a clear fundamental reason for this move the direction can change quickly and what seems to be a retracement can actually turn out to be a new move in the opposite direction. This will result in losses for anyone trying to trade in line with the original move.


About Dean Peters-Wright.


As the Trading Education Manager of tradimo , Dean is responsible for designing the education experience; from producing the content, delivering trading courses, shaping the news and making sure the education product is a holistic approach to teaching new traders how to trade.


Tradimo is an online trading school and community, covering both foreign exchange and stock trading.


Recent Articles on TradingMarkets.


Company Info.


The Connors Group, Inc.


10 Exchange Place, Suite 1800.


Jersey City, NJ 07302.


Company Resources.


Properties.


Connect with TradingMarkets.


© Copyright 2017 The Connors Group, Inc.


It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable or that they will not result in losses. Past results of any individual trader or trading system published by Company are not indicative of future returns by that trader or system, and are not indicative of future returns which be realized by you. In addition, the indicators, strategies, columns, articles and all other features of Company's products (collectively, the "Information") are provided for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. Examples presented on Company's website are for educational purposes only. Such set-ups are not solicitations of any order to buy or sell. Accordingly, you should not rely solely on the Information in making any investment. Rather, you should use the Information only as a starting point for doing additional independent research in order to allow you to form your own opinion regarding investments. You should always check with your licensed financial advisor and tax advisor to determine the suitability of any investment.


HYPOTHETICAL OR SIMULATED PERFORMANCE RESULTS HAVE CERTAIN INHERENT LIMITATIONS. UNLIKE AN ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RECORD, SIMULATED RESULTS DO NOT REPRESENT ACTUAL TRADING AND MAY NOT BE IMPACTED BY BROKERAGE AND OTHER SLIPPAGE FEES. ALSO, SINCE THE TRADES HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN EXECUTED, THE RESULTS MAY HAVE UNDER - OR OVER-COMPENSATED FOR THE IMPACT, IF ANY, OF CERTAIN MARKET FACTORS, SUCH AS LACK OF LIQUIDITY. SIMULATED TRADING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT ANY ACCOUNT WILL OR IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE PROFITS OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN.

Комментариев нет:

Отправить комментарий