Option Strategies Explained with Modern Algos

Option Products were firstly launched by National Stock Exchange (NSE) in the year 2001, However, with various recent changes in the Intraday Exposure/Leverage by SEBI (Regulatory Body), Options Trading and Strategies Based Trading caught up the eyes of Retail Traders as well and their participation has been on a tremendous upsurge.

One may have a question, WHY? – Primary reason, what I could figure out is – Hedge Benefit, if you devise a Spread or Hedge Strategy; then Margin Requirement is as low as 20K (not in all the strategies), and that had encouraged the Retail Traders to venture into Options Trading. Other important factors could be, one knows the RISK involved at the time of entering into a Trade and that helps to manage it more efficiently than other Trading Products available in the Indian Capital Market.

What are the Commonly Used Option Strategies?

There are quite a few Option Strategies, we will cover Commonly User Option Strategies and break down them to understand the Psychology behind them and THREE Important Questions – WHEN to do? HOW to do? Why to do?

Bull Call Spread

Psychology:
  • Upside Trend bias
  • Don't want to have unlimited loss
  • Wants to keep the Investment with Hedge Benefit

When to do?
  • Upside Breakout
  • Bullish Mindset
How to do?
  • Buy the nearest Call Option to Spot Price
  • Sell higher strike prices (OTM) from the Spot Price
Why to do?
  • To ride the uptrend with the predefined loss

Bear Put Spread

Psychology
  • Downside Trend bias
  • Don't want to have unlimited loss
  • Wants to keep the Investment with Hedge Benefit

When to do?
  • Downside Breakout
  • Bearish Mindset
How to do?
  • Buy nearest Put Option to Spot Price
  • Sell Lower strike prices (OTM) from the Spot Price
Why to do?
  • To ride the downtrend with the predefined loss

Bull Put Spread

Psychology
  • Upside Trend Bias
  • Risk Protection with limited loss
  • Credit Strategy - Net Premium is receivable

When to do?
  • Upside to Neutral
  • Time decay Approach
How to do?
  • Buy nearest Put Option to Spot Price
  • Sell Higher strike prices (ITM) from the Spot Price
Why to do?
  • To benefit from Falling Prices or Neutral Market

Bear Call Spread

Psychology
  • Downside Trend Bias
  • Risk Protection with limited loss
  • Credit Strategy - Net Premium is receivable
When to do?
  • Downside to Neutral
  • Time decay Approach
How to do?
  • Buy nearest Call Option to Spot Price
  • Sell lower strike prices (ITM) from the Spot Price
Why to do?
  • To benefit from Falling Prices or Neutral Market

Short Straddle

Psychology
  • Profiting by way of decrease in Option Value due to Time
  • Neutral OR Consolidation outlook
  • Time effective strategy, less time in the position.
When to do?
  • Neutral to Consolidation
  • Time Decay Approach
How to do?
  • Sell Nearest Strike Prices (ATM) for both Call and Put Options
Why to do?
  • To benefit from the time value due to Neutral Market

Short Strangle

Psychology
  • To benefit from the Sharp Price Action
  • Usually NO Break Out on Either Side of the Market
  • Trading in the larger range
  • Increasing Volatility Scenario
When to do?
  • Range basis outlook
  • IV is expanding
How to do?
  • Sell Higher Call Option (OTM) to Spot Price
  • Sell Lower Put Option (OTM) to Spot Price
Why to do?
  • To benefit from the larger price action but with in the range

Iron Butterfly

When to do?
  • To benefit from the Consolidation in the Market
  • Trading in the expanded range
  • Low Volatility Scenario

When to do?
  • Consolidation or Tight Range Move Outlook
  • Volatility is low in the market
How to do?
  • Sell Call and Put Option at the Spot Price
  • Buy Higher Call Option (OTM)
  • Buy Lower Put Option (OTM)
Why to do?
  • Delta Neutral Strategy to benefit from the tight range move

Iron Condor

Psychology
  • To benefit from an indecisive trend
  • Trend neutral strategy in a defined range
  • To benefit from the Theta decay


When to do?
  • No Trend Territory Zone
  • Time decay approach
How to do?
  • Sell Call and Put Options slightly away from Spot Price (OTM)
  • Buy Higher Call Option from the Sell Call Strike (OTM)
  • Buy Lower Put Option from the Sell Put Strike (OTM)
Why to do?
  • Delta Neutral Strategy to benefit from the indecisive trend in the market


About the Author


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Sanjay Kumar Baid

Founder and CEO, ModernAlgos


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