May 4, 2013 | Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Investing, Stock Option Strategies
Innovative covered call writers can develop ideas of implementing a strategy in unconventional ways. For example, we can invest in a money market or CD and perhaps not even beat the inflation rate with those dividends. We can buy a quality bond and wait six months to...
Apr 27, 2013 | Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Covered call writing entails buying a stock and then selling an option. But what if I buy a call option instead of the stock and then sell a call option on that option? I’ll be spending less money than the outright purchase of the equity and still generate cash from...
Apr 20, 2013 | Covered Call Exit Strategies, Options Calculations, Options Trade Execution, Stock Option Strategies
I recently learned that covered call writing comes in all shapes and sizes. Although we are honored to have a significant number of international members, most trade US stocks on US exchanges with the rules we are familiar with. But what if the rules were different?...
Apr 13, 2013 | Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
Mastering option trading basics includes incorporating exit strategies into our portfolio trades. These opportunities present themselves both when a stock prices declines and accelerates. Recently, a premium member presented me with a hypothetical trade involving FSLR...
Apr 6, 2013 | Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
When studying option trading basics we learn the equation for option premium value is: Premium = time value + intrinsic value If the strike price is at- or out-of-the-money the premium is all time value. Another basic principle is that time value decreases as we...
Mar 30, 2013 | Investment Basics, Option Trading Basics, Options Calculations, Stock Option Strategies
I sell predominantly 1-month options when selling covered calls. This decision was NOT based on anything I read or was told, but rather on experience and common sense. Most stocks with options have at least four expiration cycles affiliated with them at any point in...