The objective of the Option Sleuth is educate the investor on how a managed option strategy as part of a diversified portfolio can generate additional income and boost returns.
There are two basic types of options: the call and the put.
A call is an option contract that gives the holder the right to buy the underlying security at a specified price for a certain, fixed period of time.
A put is an option contract that gives the holder the right to sell the underlying security at a specified price for a certain, fixed period of time.
Option contracts may be opened as a buy (long positions) or a write (short positions).
The following common option strategies are defined in terms of a net long position, however each strategy may also be opened as a net short position.
• Buy a call
Outlook on the underlying equity: Positive
Potential gain: Unlimited
Potential loss: Limited to price paid for call
• Buy a put
Outlook on the underlying equity: Negative
Potential gain: Limited to the value of the equity
Potential loss: Limited to price paid for put
• Buy a call spread (buy a call and sell a higher strike call)
Outlook on the underlying equity: Positive
Potential gain: Limited to spread value less price paid
Potential loss: Limited to price paid for spread
• Buy a put spread (buy a put and sell a lower strike put)
Outlook on the underlying equity: Negative
Potential gain: Limited to spread value less price paid
Potential loss: Limited to price paid for spread
• Covered call (buy equity, sell higher strike call)
Outlook on the underlying equity: Positive
Potential gain: Varies
Potential loss: Limited to value of equity less price received for call
This week's featured book on options trading:
Options Trading 101: From Theory to Application
by Bill Johnson
Morgan James Publishing (October 2007)
From the publisher: Discover powerful and profitable option trading strategies that can limit your risk while multiplying your profits in today's markets.
Options Trading 101 was written as a complete introductory guide for investors and traders who want to understand the world of options. While it is labeled as an introductory book, it is anything but a general overview. It starts by exploring the most fundamental concepts of options trading and ends with some basic strategies that traders will fully understand and be able to use immediately. In a clear, concise way readers will be led through the most important topics that are necessary to master and advance with options trading. Options Trading 101 makes use of many fun examples including Gordon Gekko's mistake in the hit movie Wall Street from not understanding put-call parity.
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