Puts and Calls, Should You Be A Buyer Or Seller?

By Maclin Vestor

To buy options, or sell them?

If you are a seller of options, you have a fixed amount of income that you can collect. You will always receive this portion of the option. Now, there is another part of the option that you may or may not receive. You always receive the theta or time value. Now the rest of the option is based on what the stock does. If a $50 strike priced option expires at $49.99, you collect that entire premium. Now if you were to sell a $40 strike priced option for a $50 stock, you might receive $10.50 per share. This .50 per share is what you will always get. You will also technically get the $10 per share, but you will have your shares "called" in, and that means that you have to sell them at $40, but you keep the $10.50 so if it expired at the same price, you would only gain the $.50. Now say you instead sold a $50 strike price. Now the value might be $1.00. The theta value is now $1, which is much greater. However, in the last example, if the stock dropped from $50, to $40, you would still end up with a slight gain. In this example, if the stock fell to $40, you would incur a $9 a share loss.

Now lets say you buy a stock with $50 a share, and sell an option at $60 a share. Now this option might cost you $0.50. Again the time value is 0.50. The difference is, now you have room for your stock to go up and less of your upside is capped. However, Now if your stock goes to $40, that's a $9.59 loss. These aren't real numbers based on a real stock and real options, but they illustrate the point. The point is that whether you buy or sell a stock option depends on your outlook, and what strike price you are looking at.

Buying and selling options have advantages.

As the buyer of a call option, you are saying, I believe this stock will go up. You would buy an at the money option because you want the full leverage per 100 shares and you want to get as close to a gain as 100 shares as you can. You would buy a deep in the money option because you want to pay less for theta, allow you to lose a smaller amount percentage wise, keep actual money tied up so you aren't tempted to put more leverage on or if you do you have better money management. You need less of a move to make money with a deep in the money option, and it's practically buying the stock for a discount if you buy deep enough in the money.

As the buyer of an out of the money option, you first must have enough money on the side, but you believe that if you can get a stock to move big, that you should bet big, you allow yourself to buy more shares and diversify while still keeping a lot of capital on the side (which you will have to do). If you can manage your larger swings, these have limited time value, and very high upside. Now a covered call is when you own the actual stock so things will be different.

A covered call you would sell a deep in the money call if you want to collect the theta, but want to insure against greater losses and are willing to accept less for this protection. You would sell an at the money option because you want to collect the maximum theta, don't believe the stock will decline much in value, but you don't believe the upside will be that great. You would sell out of the money options if you bet on the stock being slightly bullish. This is just a start which tells you what to consider when determining what strike price to buy an option at, it does not tell you what to consider when determining whether you want a long term, or short term option, but thats another story. - 23212

About the Author:

Maclin Vestor teaches about variousstock trading systems and has a course coming soon on finding stock trading system that may work for you.

All Investments Have Gone Down In This Economy

By Jesse Astolos

Almost everyone who has money in the stock market has lost money in the last year and a half. This makes it difficult to get any confidence back and have any faith that the market will go up again. Having it go down so far and so fast has probably unnerved quite a few investors.

Getting the confidence to put more money in the market after having it perform so poorly is something that does not come easily. After all, whos to say it wont just turn around and go back down again? Figuring out a good reentry point is something that seasoned investors would have a much better chance of figuring out than the beginner. However, we do know that at some point, it will be the correct time to start buying again.

When you buy more stock at lower prices than you already own some shares, it is called averaging down. For instance, if you own 100 shares of ABC corp. at $100 a share and then you buy 100 more shares at $50 after it has gone down, you will now own 200 shares at an average price of $75.00. You will have averaged down the price of your shares. This is what we will all be doing when we buy back into the market.

Although it may be tempting to buy more of what you have and to average down, it might not be the smartest choice. Most economists and stock market analysts agree that you should be diversified in your investments and that might mean buying other company stocks instead of the ones you already own. It also could be done by buying other types of financial investments such as treasury bills or bank CDs. A good investor never has too much in one asset as that would expose them to too much risk.

In a down market like we have had now for over a year however, there is nothing that could have prevented you from losing as all stocks have gone down. Stock diversification is always a good idea but it does not mean that you are protected from losing money. Almost everyone is in the same boat and we are all down. Pretty soon it will be time to get back in and those that have the guts and the money will end up profiting. - 23212

About the Author:

Do you want to learn about buying stocks for dummies? If you would, please visit my site Stock Market For Beginners.

Stock Market Giants All Do This

By Michael Swanson

Anyone with any margin of success in stock market investing pays very strict attention to his stocks using technical analysis. Watching the ups and downs of stock prices is the most important element of playing the market.

Watching your stocks has to be a daily habit. Check the stock market listings in the business section of your paper daily and double check for the most up-to-the-minute prices on the internet. Keep track of the history of your stocks and follow every rise, every fall and the fluctuations in between.

It's also important to read the statements that your stock broker sends out to you every month. It will help you keep records of price trends. In between statements from your broker, the Internet will be a most valuable resource for the correct prices.

In addition to watching your own stock prices, monitor the price of stocks you are interested in with an eye to buying them down the road. If you track the ups and downs of potential stocks, watching the pattern will help you make an immediate decision on whether to buy, sell or hold.

Extra cash or a bit of a financial windfall can be used to increase the amount of stock you own. Top up stocks that have been performing well. Remember the importance of diversifying your portfolio because it really is true what they say. Don't' put all your eggs in one basket.

Keep your broker's phone number handy for when it's time to buy or sell stock. Tell him what to do and at what price. Your broker will handle the transaction and give you a transaction number when your order is placed.

Read industry papers such as the Wall Street Journal or Barrons. Both contain not only market prices but news and information that will affect the entire stock market.

Because the stock market is such a volatile place, you must monitor your stocks if you hope to make money. Keep a three year goal in mind and don't panic-sell if stock prices start to fall and fall hard. Evaluate your stock's performance over time.

Congratulations! Day trading can be profitable for those who are vigilant, but remember it still takes a lot of hard work and sophistication. - 23212

About the Author:

For more articles from Mike Swanson sign up to his stock trading newsletter.

Currency Trading Courses - What Is The Big Deal?

By James Manuiry

Good currency trading courses are critical for turning beginning traders into professionals. Choosing the right course is very important. Below are some guidelines.

Many people would give anything to be able to make a living sitting in front of their computers all day or all night trading currencies. It is a fantasy lifestyle being able to have the freedom to work for yourself with the potential of financial freedom. It takes just a small amount of money to open a trading account, as the broker will lend you most of the trading capital you will need. This allows you the potential to make huge percentage gains on your money if your trading decisions are correct. If they are wrong however, your loses can be staggering. This is the reason it is critical to prepare yourself with the best education you before you begin trading.

There is no quick fix for becoming a competent currency trader. Buying computer software to do the work for you is a bad idea. If all the trading programs for sale were successful they would not be affordable for anyone. The programs on the market today just do not work. You must learn to do the work yourself by studying specific strategies and learning how to use techniques that the pros use. Once you do this you can be as successful as the top traders in the market. But it does require a lot of hard work.

The first thing you should do in preparation for trading in the currency market is to take a quality currency trading course. Many of your competitors have and may still be taking courses to maintain their skill level. You will be at a major disadvantage to them if you are not taking top courses to build your level of skill also.

A sure fire way to achieving success as a trader is to take a quality currency trading course. The top courses have produced some of the top money-making traders. In order to join that elite group you must complete a top level course and stay current with new developments in the market. Being trained by an experienced professional will not only help you learn the best strategies for specific market conditions, it will allow you to learn those strategies in the fastest time possible. The courses are not trial and error they are based on actual experiences. After completion on a good course you will have a much greater chance for long term trading success.

Most people who trade currencies lose money. Only 5% of currencies traders are profitable. That means there are a lot of mistakes being made.

The best currency trading courses will help you gain the knowledge of how the markets work so you will be able to develop profitable trading strategies that work over and over again. Most will let you practice real-time trading so you get a feel for what it is really like to be a trader. You will be able to ask questions about the trades that didnt work and get constructive feedback. You will also be able to raise your level of confidence as you reach a higher number of successful trades. As your trading success increases you will be better prepared to start trading in the real market. Confidence in your abilities is a big part of a good trading strategy.

The critical factors in preparing to trade are that the currency trading course you use gives you not only good technique and the ability to decide which strategies are most likely to work but to give you a discipline and confidence to succeed. - 23212

About the Author:

You SHOULD need to be absorb as much as you can on currency trading courses if you want to make money.

Significant Forex Trading Tips

By Bart Icles

Forex trading or commonly called FX is the business of trading of the world's different currencies and to gain a profit from it. The transaction involved a trader or investor buying one or several currencies and then selling or exchanging it for another currency that it is paired to. Because there are so many currencies floating around the world, the opportunity to make a profit is very real and excellent. It is therefore important to learn how to trade currencies in order to win in Forex trading.

In recent years, traders or interested investors who wanted to get into Forex trading were required to purchase highly priced Forex courses, go to far flung places to attend expensive seminars and buy costly software programs to help them in the trading process. It has changed dramatically now, and that change has benefited mostly the individual investor. Practically anyone now can learn how to trade Forex right in the comforts of their abodes and at any time most convenient for them without having to fork out a large sum of money for often unproductive and ineffective seminars and lengthy and cumbersome courses.

Resources of this nature can now be easily access online where the aspiring trader can learn the basic fundamental principles of Forex trading and up to the most advanced and complex ones. The great thing about the Internet and the generosity of some experienced Forex traders is that most of this information is offered for free.

Some Forex websites often give free Forex tips, and some even a whole Forex trading courses. These sites are very visible and popular to those interested and engaged in Forex trading of which are owned and supervised by many experienced and veteran Forex traders who wish to impart their acquired knowledge, techniques and principles on how to do successful Forex trading. Their trading experiences and insights regarding how to trade the market with using many of the tried and tested Forex trading techniques to use in their trading. They may even give free online seminars and workshops which allow anyone to have a first hand look at how to trade the more popularly patronized currency markets and thus have the advantage of learning from the masters as they do live Forex trading.

To get you started at online Forex trading, you only need to have a computer, an Internet connection and a Forex software program that is able to provide you will all the real-time data and other vital information you need to know regarding the market. The cost for such needed software programs will cost you anywhere from a few hundred to a thousand dollars or so.

To get more of Forex trading tips, just follow the link underneath. - 23212

About the Author:

Forex managed funds start with a desire to learn and a drive to become a great trader. Learning mini forex trading takes dedication and a good teacher. But once you learn how to trade and do so successfully your life will change and you have options and financial resources you never had before.