Friday, 29 April 2011

Using Options Trading To Protect Assets And Generate Income

By Hugh Massaro


The stock market industry is rife with terminology that can be confusing. Understanding not only the terms, but how each of the products can be used, is an important part of the excitement of being involved in taking risks that can provide significant rewards. Options are products that can be lucrative or can be costly, as all ventures into the market, and should only be used when the investor is experienced.

A contract sold by an existing owner of specific stock to a buyer is called an option. When the worth of a product relies on the cost of the underlying product, they are considered to be derivatives. The contracts authorize the buyer to purchase or sell at an agreed-upon price within a specific time frame. Using stock market terminology, the writer sells to the holder, allowing the holder to call or put the asset at the strike price, on the exercise date.

Options are divided into four categories. They include buyers and sellers of calls as well as buyers and sellers of puts. Those who purchase calls believe that the underlying stock price will increase. Those who sell calls receive a premium for the contract and are obligated to sell if the strike price is met on the exercise date.

Those who buy puts believe the underlying stock price will go down. Investors who sell puts make money on the sale of the options and are obligated to buy the stock if the strike price is reached. It is very important that only seasoned investors use these products.

Covered calls are options for investors who own stock and write calls to generate more profit. It is the safest type of option, and a covered call is conservative product. You can write a covered call to sell the right to purchase stocks you own before the option expires and at the strike price. Writers get a premium for this contract.

Hedge funds use covered calls to protect against devastating losses. With a volatile market, it is important to have some insurance against severe swings. While a certain amount can still be lost, it is a more controlled loss and, with the premiums, it can offset money the decline.

Speculators are high risk takers and use options to increase their potential for high earnings. But this same risk can cause huge deficits as well. When attempting to speculate, the investor must be educated about several variables. The variables include the price change, how much it will be and when it will change. They must be well informed about the risks and have experience reading the market.

No one new to the stock market or to these products should make significant investments in this product. They are extremely volatile and should only be considered with advice from an expert. While safest option is a covered call, if it is not executed properly, or if the market is volatile, it can still entail a loss.




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