subject: Learn Trading Options [print this page] These days, more and more people are looking towards alternative methods for making their money work for them. In the past, most people were interested in long term investing. This is no longer the case due to the violent movements in the stock market. As such, many are revisiting the stock market basics and looking towards processes such as options trading as a means of making their investment capital more profitable.
It is also not a secret that there are many misconceptions surrounding options trading. One of the frequently labored myths is that trading options only appeals to those that want to take part in high risk trading. That really is not the case. Even someone with a mere basic understanding of a stock market guide in the stock market basics can take part in options trading for profit.
Beginners will have questions regarding what is option trading or what is an option? Options are defined as contracts presenting the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a stock, commodity, mutual fund, commodity, or some other type of security.
Remember, there is the right to purchase the underlying item but you would not be mandated to make any purchases. No one will proverbially "twist any arms" for you buy or sell at prior to the expiration date. Once again, buying and selling remains an option and no obligation is present. This is the core of options trading.
This leads many to wonder how profits from options trading are gained. Here is some good news in this regard: you do not have to be the master of a stock market guide or know stock market basics like a pro to understand the way options trading works. You just need to know that when you acquire the options contract it has an expiration date of when it will no longer exist, and you need to know the relation of the option price to the selling and buying price.
The following is a stock market basics example of how the process of options trading can work: you can procure an options contract to buy a stock at $20 a share. The contract specifies you can execute the contract in 100 days. The stock priced on the market at $15 a share and you need the price to increase in order for the trade to be profitable. At the 60 day mark of the contract, the stock price jumps to $75 a share. You can now buy a $75 stock for $20 which is a massively profitable deal. Sure, the entire options trading process is a speculative one but it definitely yields great profits when the stars align.
What are the means in which one can lose money when there is no obligation to sell or buy? The answer to this is that there are costs associated with devising an options trading contract. Those that do not exercise the option by the expiration date will discover the money they invested to enter into this options trading agreement will be lost.
In some instances, you can cut losses by purchasing a devalued stock at a higher price. The problem here, however, would be the stock could fall even lower. Case in point, you would buy stock that is valued at $25 for $31 to cut your losses. Unfortunately, the stock ends up collapsing even further and ends up being valued at $7. That would be a huge loss. So, you need to temper you expectations for gains with the potential losses you may have to suffer. That is just the way options trading works.
Trading Options is not a get rich quick scheme. It comes with great risk and it also comes with the potential for great reward. You just need to learn the stock market basics of the options trading process and how to go about performing actual trades.
