
Watching the stock market is not crucial for long-term investors but very important to short-term or active options traders. In the options world a heavy emphasis is placed on “expiration Friday,” which is the third Friday of every month. Here are essential points to know about managing expiring options.
Option Exits
Every options trader has the right to how they want to exit a position. They can either close out and move into cash or “exercise” an option. This means buying calls or selling puts at the option strike price. Investors need to stay on top of expiration dates to ensure they are in control of their accounts from potential shocks.
An investor must notify their broker beforehand they don’t wish to exercise an option if it has moved toward financial gains. Many traders close an option directly with “sell to close” orders to simplify exits.
Rolling Winners
Successful traders often roll their option positions when they are “in the money.” Rolling is a technique for locking in profits with the chance of further upside if the underlying stock continues to move up in price. If the option expires several months in the future and it’s already profitable, it’s better to take the profits while the trader can. There’s always a chance that whatever is driving the stock up now will not be relevant in several months.
Rolling involves taking profits than investing original capital into another option with a more distant expiration date. As the stock rises a trader can aim for a higher strike price while rolling up calls. This strategy protects profits while limiting risk. An option is the only trading instrument that allows for extended earnings after securing initial profits.
As Expiration Approaches
When an expiration date on an option approaches the trader can sell options against long positions to maximize profits. Even if buying back an option after closing out of it means taking a small loss, sometimes it’s worth the risk for investors already in winning positions. One thing traders must remember is that volatility in stock prices tends to increase during expiration week. During this period options traders move from old to new positions with new expiration dates.
Another point to remember is that options buyers aren’t under any obligation to exercise options. At the same time the trader has the right to exercise the option at any time during the life of the contract. Options save traders from monitoring the market every moment of the trading day.
About Weekly Money Multiplier
Weekly Money Multiplier is a trading program that offers both new and experienced traders about the ins and outs of options trading and the stock market. The program is run by Professional Trader and Raging Bull Trading Co-Founder, Jeff Bishop, who has become known as an expert in options trading and ETFs. The Weekly Money Multiplier program is offered to students through the well-known trading program, Raging Bull Trading.
Visit Weekly Money Multiplier on their website to learn more.








