Jun 3, 2017 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies, Technical Analysis
When selling covered call or put options, strike price selection is one of the three required skills. Here are the main factors we evaluate when determining which strike price to select: Overall market assessment Personal risk tolerance Return goals Technical price...
May 27, 2017 | Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Put-selling, Stock Option Strategies
A covered call trade can be initiated by first purchasing the underlying stock or exchange-traded fund (ETF). It can also be launched by first selling an out-of-the-money (OTM) cash-secured put and allowing exercise if the put strike is in-the-money (ITM) at...
May 13, 2017 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Many assume that covered call writing is a zero sum game because we have traders executing equal but opposite trades using the same underlying security. As a covered call writer, we may sell 5 contracts of AAPL which means there is a buyer out there who just bought...
May 6, 2017 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Put-selling, Stock Option Strategies
Many consider covered call writing and selling cash-secured puts the same strategy with the same risk-reward profiles. To me, they are similar with slight differences that must be understood to make a decision as to which strategy to favor. In the end, it will be like...
Apr 29, 2017 | Covered Call Exit Strategies, Exit Strategies, Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Never write a covered call or sell a cash-secured put if there is an earnings announcement due prior to contract expiration. This is such an important rule in the BCI methodology. However, we all know that life is not perfect and sometimes we are thrown the proverbial...
Apr 1, 2017 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Standard covered call writing contracts consists of 100 shares deliverable. When we sell one standard covered call contract we are agreeing to sell (deliver) 100 shares. Since many retail investors lack the capital to first buy 100 shares of expensive underlying...