The selection and management of a vertical spread are only two-thirds of the game. Closing out, rolling or morphing the position has to be analyzed and executed with the same due diligence as was used in the selection and management processes.
Looking at the closing out of a vertical call spread, we find there are three [...]
Vertical spreads can have various names. The same vertical spread could be called several different things by several different people. We have used two terms only: vertical call spread and vertical put spread. Each of these two spreads allows for two positions, long and short.
The long vertical call spread is constructed by buying one call [...]
When vertical spreads are mentioned, they quite often come with monikers such as ‘bull’ and ‘bear’. This lends most to think of vertical spreads as directional plays which is true. However, vertical spreads can be used to take advantage of two other potential trading opportunities – time decay and volatility movement.
If you are looking for [...]
To get a firm grasp of volatility’s effect on vertical spreads, let us examine three spreads against different implied volatilities while keeping the stock price constant at 67.5. These are the 60 – 65, 65 – 70 and 70 – 75 call spreads.
In-the-Money Vertical Spreads
Looking at the in-the-money spread (June 60 – 65), we see [...]
I like to trade stocks and shares but what do when unemployment in both the US and UK keep increasing? Interestingly the major stock markets are also increasing.Unfortunately, equity markets are completely detached from the ‘real’ economy. So as unemployment continues to rise, and is expected to continue rising throughout 2010, we could see the [...]
The individual investor will typically include some stocks in their investment portfolio. And whether they are a long term trader or in it for much quicker returns, many investors understand and feel somewhat comfortable with the concepts and techniques of trading stocks.
Options tend to be much less understood – and therefore avoided. But Options can [...]
What happened to the stock markets these past two weeks?
Anyone at all involved in investing or trading no doubt personally experienced it- the stock markets went through a major correction! And in these days of the “World Economy” such a correction can be triggered by news from anywhere in the world. As it did [...]
An option can be simply defined as a contract between a seller and the buyer that allows the right to purchase or sell shares of stock with a specified timeframe. A solid education of the stock market is crucial for success in the options trading arena. After that, the main focus of your options trading [...]
When it comes to option trading, the most important lesson to retain is an understanding of what’s actually being traded. The real commodity in any option trading strategy isn’t the underlying stock itself, and it has little to do directly with phrases such as implied volatility, net debit, net credit, strike price, or expiration date. [...]
What so scare about stock trading is the possibility of losing millions of dollars of your money.
That is why it is important to practice first before doing real time trading.
One of the best way to learn about trading, no matter the instruments are through practicing simulated stock trading or known as virtual stock trading. The [...]