Three Alternative strategies Take a position in the option and the underlying Take a position in 2 or more options of the same type(a spread Combination: Take a position in a mixture of calls puts(A combination)
Types of options A call is an option to buy A put is an option to sell A European option can be exercised only at the end of its life An American option can be exercised at any time
Consumption vs Investment Assets Investment assets are assets held by significant numbers of people purely for investment purposes (Examples: gold, silver) Consumption assets are assets held primarily for consumption(Examples: copper, oil)
The nature of derivatives a derivative is an instrument whose value depends on the values of other more basic underlying variables Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives, 5th edition C 2002 by John C. Hull