It is easy to dismiss the benefits of a trade if the most typical description attached to it is risk. But it should not be so. There are great benefits that may be taken from participating in options trading that most people overlook. One should take into account that all types of trades have inherent risks but they also offer advantages in return.
Flexibility
Although it is true that options trading may not fit everyone, it still does not change the fact that to those traders who have made this trade work for them, it is clear for them that options offer great flexibility for both the option buyer and the seller.
Most types of trading do not allow profiting from the underlying asset. However, with option trading this is very possible. There are various strategies traders use to maximize this advantage.
Protection
In comparison to other kinds of trades, particularly stock trading, options trading could give better protection to its participants. Significant losses are typically uncommon in this trade since traders only lose what they have invested and more often than not, investments are just minimal because they are limited only to the price of the option. It should be noted that typical options are just 10% of the value of the asset.
Traders could also benefit from protective put. This is a type of options strategy that allows for purchasing the same number of puts and stocks such that the stocks are protected from depreciation of value. Also, a trader who needs to buy an option in the future at a certain price can do so. It is, in a way, insurance for the trader who currently has investments on long stock positions, especially during the times when the market is uncertain.
Leverage
Since the trader bought the “option” and not the stock, he could profit with very little investment. By coughing a small amount, the trader can control the full value of the stock because he holds a contract that performs in the same way the stock performs but for only a fraction of the stock price. This is probably the main reason why option trading is very appealing to traders with small funds.
Limited Risks
The limitations of risks can be seen from two perspectives. First, is from the duration or the period of the option and second, is from paying a minimum amount for the full value of the asset. During the period of the options, the holder can either exercise the option or not. Any unnecessary movement in the market may be prevented, thus giving more protection to the holder. On the other hand, if the option is not profitable, the holder will only endure the losses for a short and definite period of time.
Volatility Trading
Most trades only offer upwards and downwards movement. With this kind of trading, the participant may trade even when the market is dormant.
On a final note, by working within the principle of option trading, the trader has the liberty to buy or not to buy an option depending on the movement. That, in itself, is a great benefit since the trader is not obligated to pursue with the purchase of an asset even when he has already lost interest on it. The only thing one can lose is the payment for the option, which significantly costs lesser when compared with the price of the actual stock.