Options Basics
Learn options trading from scratch — what calls and puts are, how premium works, strike price, expiry, and how to trade on NSE.
30 articles- What is the Difference Between Options Buyer and Options Seller? An options buyer pays a premium to gain the right (but not the obligation) to buy or sell an asset, with their maximum loss limite... 6 min read
- What Does "Right But Not Obligation" Mean in Options? In options trading, having the "right but not the obligation" means the buyer can choose to execute the contract if it's profitabl... 5 min read
- What is a BANKNIFTY Options Contract? A BANKNIFTY Options Contract gives you the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the BANKNIFTY index at a set price by a s... 5 min read
- What is Options Assignment? Options assignment is when the seller of an options contract is forced to fulfill their obligation to the buyer. This happens when... 5 min read
- What Happens When an Options Contract Expires? When an options contract expires, it is either settled if it has value (in-the-money) or it becomes worthless if it doesn't (out-o... 5 min read
- Is Options Trading the Same as Options Buying? Options trading includes both buying and selling. Options buying has capped risk and low capital needs but fights time decay. Sell... 5 min read
- 5 Things Every Beginner Must Know Before Trading Options in India Options trading in India can offer great opportunities, but it also carries high risks for beginners. Understanding basics like ca... 5 min read
- What is Max Pain Theory in Options? Max Pain Theory identifies the option expiry strike where buyers lose most and sellers pay least. The underlying often gravitates... 5 min read
- Why Do Experienced Traders Prefer Being Option Sellers? Experienced traders prefer being option sellers because time decay, probability, and overpriced implied volatility all favour the... 7 min read
- What is the Strike Price Interval for BANKNIFTY Options? The strike price interval for BANKNIFTY options is 100 points. This means that available strike prices are in multiples of 100, su... 5 min read
- What Do the Columns in an Options Chain Mean? The columns in an options chain show key data for call and put options at various strike prices for a specific expiry date. They i... 5 min read
- When Does NIFTY Weekly Options Expire? NIFTY weekly options expire on the Thursday of every week. If Thursday is a trading holiday, the expiry moves to the previous trad... 5 min read
- What is the Difference Between OTM and Deep OTM Options? The primary difference between OTM and Deep OTM options is how far the strike price is from the stock's current price. Deep OTM op... 5 min read
- What is the Break-Even Point in Options? The break-even point in options is the spot price at which your trade neither makes nor loses money at expiry. For a call buyer it... 5 min read
- 10 Things to Know Before Reading an Options Chain An options chain is a detailed table showing all available options contracts for a security. Understanding what is options trading... 5 min read
- What is the Binomial Options Pricing Model? The Binomial Options Pricing Model is a method used to figure out the fair price of an options contract. It works by creating a 't... 5 min read
- How is Black-Scholes Different from the Binomial Model? The Black-Scholes model uses a single mathematical formula to find an option's price, making it fast but rigid and best for Europe... 5 min read
- How to Trade Using India VIX Levels India VIX measures expected market volatility — low VIX means cheap options, high VIX means expensive ones. Use it to decide wheth... 5 min read
- Why Can't You Just Use Formulas to Make Money in Options? You cannot use just formulas to make money in options because they are based on perfect-world assumptions that don't hold up in re... 5 min read
- What is Options Arbitrage? In options trading in India, options arbitrage is a strategy that locks in a small risk-free profit by exploiting price gaps betwe... 5 min read
- What is Volatility Trading in Options? Volatility trading in options is a strategy that focuses on betting on the size of a stock's future price movements, not its direc... 5 min read
- How to Use Implied Volatility to Compare Options Across Strikes To compare options across strikes, don't just look at the premium price. Instead, use Implied Volatility (IV), which shows the mar... 5 min read
- How Does a Dividend Affect Options Pricing? A dividend causes call option prices to fall and put option prices to rise because the stock price drops by the dividend amount on... 5 min read
- What is the Problem With the Black-Scholes Model? The primary problem with the Black-Scholes model is that it's built on unrealistic assumptions that don't hold true in real market... 5 min read
- What is Delta Hedging by Market Makers? Delta hedging is a risk management strategy used by market makers to offset their exposure to price changes in an underlying asset... 5 min read
- What Account Do You Need to Trade Options in India? To trade options in India, you need a Demat account to hold securities and a Trading account to place orders. Crucially, you must... 5 min read
- What is STT on Options in India? Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on options in India is a direct tax levied by the government on option contracts traded on stock... 5 min read
- How to Place an Options Trade on Upstox To place an options trade on Upstox, first find your desired contract using the search bar or option chain. Next, select 'Buy', en... 5 min read
- How to Calculate Margin for Options Using the SPAN Calculator Calculating options margin involves using a SPAN calculator to determine the required funds for selling options. This tool assesse... 5 min read
- What is a Virtual Trading Account for Options? A virtual trading account for options is a simulated environment where you can practice options trading using fake money without a... 5 min read