For millions of traders and investors, options have become an indispensable tool: not just for increasing profits but also for systematically controlling risk. Now bestselling author Thomsett covers everything from the core principles of options trading to the calculation of returns and taxes.

This is the eBook version of the printed book. This Element is an excerpt from Options Trading for the Conservative Investor (9780137042005), by Michael C. Thomsett. Available in print and digital formats. Understand the rules of option contracts--and use that knowledge to select better, more profitable strategies. Let us examine the rules of the option contract. The mechanics of expiration, strike price, and time and intrinsic value affect all decisions related to how you should or should not employ options and how risks increase or decrease as you employ a particular strategy. We will start by understanding how the attributes of the option contract determine its value....

This Element is an excerpt from The Options Trading Body of Knowledge (ISBN: 9780137142934) by Michael C. Thomsett. Available in print and digital formats. Understand the language of options--so you can start profiting from them! Options is a highly specialized, intricate, and often-misunderstood market. The reputation of options as high risk is only partially deserved. In fact, you can find option products to suit any investment profile, from very high risk to very conservative. You can buy and sell options on stocks, futures, indexes, and even ETFs. All listed options include standardized terms. These are....

This Element is an excerpt from The Options Trading Body of Knowledge (ISBN: 9780137142934) by Michael C. Thomsett. Available in print and digital formats. Bullish, bearish, and neutral options strategies: what they are and when to use each of them. Many options strategies can be employed to control risk, enhance profits, or to create combinations between stock and options or between related option contracts. Bullish strategies profit if the underlying stock price rises; bearish strategies profit when it falls. Neutral strategies do best when the stock’s price remains within a narrow range. Strategies can also be organized into these broad classifications....

To protect portfolios in today's volatile and uncertain market environment, institutional investors need to hedge losses, create extra sources of income, and reduce risk. In his extensively updated and expanded Options Trading for the Institutional Investor, Third Edition, renowned options expert Michael C. Thomsett shows how to do all this effectively. One step at a time, Thomsett helps institutional investors exploit powerful, carefully chosen options strategies that can dramatically increase overall returns as you manage risks within your institution's limits. Thomsett discusses covered call writing on carefully selected stocks, contingent purchase strategies, and powerful "combination" strategies that produce cash to bolster current income. He guides professional investors through every strategy, using actual examples, portfolios, and graphs taken directly from today's markets. Wherever applicable, he addresses specific forms of risk and volatility that only institutional investors face. This thoroughly updated Third Edition includes a chart-based analytical method that relies on reversal signals in the underlying as an alternative to volatility analysis. Thomsett presents new chapters on two powerful strategies he has developed and utilized to optimize returns while minimizing risk: the 1-2-3 Iron Butterfly, and the Dividend Collar. This edition also adds detailed new coverage of risk evaluation.

Contrary to popular opinion, there are low-risk short option strategies--and here’s how to make them work for you. Is there such a thing as a low-risk short option strategy? Many traders and investors do not think so, but in fact there is one way to put together a short spread that will not break the bank. A combined covered call and uncovered put accomplish this, assuming that a few basic precautions are followed. First among these is....

This Element is an excerpt from The Options Trading Body of Knowledge (ISBN: 9780137142934) by Michael C. Thomsett. Available in print and digital formats. Why options traders need to analyze stocks--and how to do it effectively. Options traders will benefit by spending time analyzing stocks, notably for any strategies that combine options positions with stock holdings. Choosing options based on appropriate risk levels and stocks makes more sense than selecting stocks to maximize option returns. In other words, any position combining option and stock positions should be based on appropriate stocks held as long-term investments....

Use Puts to Mitigate Risk, Reverse and Offset Losses, and Protect Profits–Even in Plummeting Markets! “In these financial times, this is an especially timely book. Michael C. Thomsett provides practical, direct instruction to investors on how to employ put options to enhance and protect their portfolios. A powerful guide for professionals and novices alike.” –Virginia B. Gerhart, CFP, President, Gerhart Associates “Michael C. Thomsett’s Put Option Strategies is a must read for all stock investors who want to protect profits and manage risk in volatile stock markets. This easy to read book explains the basic strategies and moves on to more sophisticated uses of put option strategies to hedge risk in bear markets. The use of leverage is clearly explained to provide the tools for conservative investors to increase their profitable trading. This book is an excellent resource for all stock investors and should be read by all investors who want to lock in profits and limit losses in volatile stock markets.” –Esme Faerber, author of All About Stocks; All About Investing; All About Bonds, Bond Mutual Funds, and Bond ETFs “Michael C. Thomsett is an authority on options. In his latest work, he has skillfully clarified how to employ powerful techniques to protect portfolios and profit from uncertain times. This book is a must read.” –Scott Kyle, CEO, Coastwise Capital Group, and author of The Power Curve: Smart Investing Using Dividends, Options, and the Magic of Compounding