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Monday, November 2, 2009

Currency Option Trading - The Low Down

By Dom Chespeai

Being an active trader in the currency markets can be a high risk venture. To participate in the market many people opt for currency option trading instead. Moves up and down in a currency price can be played using puts and calls. If a trader buys a put he/she believes the price of the currency will soon decline. If they are right, they can buy the currency at a low price and put(sell) it at the stated strike price. If they think prices will move higher they buy a call. If they are correct, they can call(buy) the currency at the strike price and immediately sell it at a higher price in the market. Options have a set life span. After this time passes they expire.

One type of option contract used by speculators and hedgers is the traditional option. This contract requires the trader to set a strike price and an expiration date. These two factors along with the currency volatility level are used to determine the premium the broker charges for the option. If the premium is agreed upon the transaction is completed. If the currency pair being traded is the USD/CHF and the trader thinks the Swiss franc will move up against the dollar he/she will purchase a put on the dollar. If the prediction is correct in the set time frame, the trader will purchase the dollar and put(sell) it at the strike price realizing a profit.

The most popular type of contract for speculators is the SPOT contract. Actual currencies do not need to be purchased or sold to realize a profit. If the option trade is successful the profits from it are simply deposited in your account. The maximum lose that can be realized if the trade does not work is the amount of the premium paid.

If the current price of the currency in the market is close to the strike price of the option the premium will be higher. The more time until expiration date the higher the premium will be. Volatility in the underlying currency price is also a factor in determining premiums. The higher the volatility the higher the premium.

One reason people get involved in currency option trading is simply to speculate on the price movements of the currency. These people are solely profit driven. This is the largest part of the market.

Hedging is a common use of currency option trading. People or corporations doing business with companies in foreign countries can purchase options to protect themselves from loses they may incur on in-process business. If prices fluctuate on currencies to much before transactions are completed they may lose the profits generated by them.

A riskier strategy of trading currency options is selling options short with the intention of covering them when the price moves in the correct direction. Since loses are not limited in this style of trading. brokers typically require large cash deposits to secure these trades.

Currency option trading can be a hugely profitable experience if your predictions are correct because premiums are lower than deposits for the actual currencies. The time frame restraint is a challenge though. If your learn to make accurate calls on price movement however, you can make large profits. - 23221

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