Option (finance)

financial derivative conferring the right to to buy or sell a certain thing at a later date at an agreed price

An option in finance is a contract allowing a buyer the right to exercise, to receive the underlying asset at a specified time, and price.[1] The seller, or counterparty, is responsible for delivering the asset, if the contract were to be exercised. The premiums are owed to the seller of the option, and the seller receives the full premium if the option expires worthless. Contracts are priced using the Black-Scholes Model, which prices the standard deviation (implied volatility)[2] of prices, time decay,[3] and in some cases, dividends into the premium. Contracts that are like options have been used since ancient times.[4]

Time decay over time. The option's value decreases as it gets closer to expiry.

References change

  1. "What Is a Call Option?". Investopedia. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  2. "Options Volatility | Implied Volatility in Options - The Options Playbook". www.optionsplaybook.com. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  3. "Theta (Θ)". Corporate Finance Institute. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  4. Abraham, Stephan (May 13, 2010). "History of Financial Options - Investopedia". Investopedia. Retrieved Jun 2, 2014.