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What are Financial Options?
Options are a financial derivative sold by an option writer or seller to an option buyer. They are typically purchased through a broker. The contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy (call option) or sell (put option) the underlying asset at an agreed-upon price during a certain period of time or on a specific date. The agreed upon price is called the strike price. American options can be exercised any time before the expiration date of the option, while European options can only be exercised on the expiration date (also known as exercise date). Exercising an option means utilizing the right to buy or the sell the underlying security.
What is a call option?
Call options provide the option buyer with the right to buy an underlying security at the strike price. The buyer of a call option is bullish and wants the price of the stock to go up. Conversely, the option seller (or writer) has to sell the underlying security to the option buyer, at the strike price, in the event that the stock's market price is above the strike price at expiration.
An option writer who sells a call option believes that the underlying stock's price will drop or stay the same relative to the option's strike price during the life of the option, as that is how they will reap maximum profit. The writer's maximum profit is the premium received when selling the option.
If the buyer is right, and the stock rises above the strike price, the buyer will be able to acquire the stock for a lower price (strike price) and then sell it for a profit at the current market price. However, if the underlying stock is not above the strike price on the expiration date, the option buyer loses the premium paid for the call option.
What is a put option?
Put options give the option buyer the right but not the obligation to sell the underlying at the strike price. The put buyer is bearish and wants the stock to go down. The opposite is true for a put option writer who writes a put option believing that the underlying stock's price will stay the same or increase over the life of the option.
If the underlying stock's price closes above the specified strike price on the expiration date, the put option writer's maximum profit is achieved. They get to keep the entire premium.
Conversely, a put option buyer benefits from a fall in the underlying stock's price below the strike price. If the underlying stock's price falls below the strike price, the put option writer is obliged to purchase shares of the underlying stock at the strike price. The put option buyer's profit, if applicable, is calculated by taking the Strike Price – (Current market price + Premium paid). This is then multiplied by 100 (if each contract is 100 shares) and the number of contracts bought.