Options Trading System

Call: An Option contract that gives the holder the right to buy the underlying security at a specified price for a certain, fixed period of time.

Call Option: An option giving the buyer the right to purchase an underlying security at a fixed price (strike price) and within a specific period of time (expiry date).

Cover: To close out an open position - to buy back as a closing transaction an option that was initially written. This term is used to describe the purchase of an option or stock to close out an existing short position for either a profit or loss.

Covered: A written option is considered to be covered if the writer also has an opposing market position on a share-for-share basis in the underlying security. That is, a short call is covered if the underlying stock is owned, and a short put is covered (for margin purposes) if the underlying stock is also short in the account. In addition, a short call is covered if the account is also long another call on the same security, with a striking price equal to or less than the striking price of the short call. A short put is covered if there is also a long put in the account with a striking price equal to or greater than the striking price of the short put.

Covered Call: An option strategy in which a call option is written against long stock on a share-for-share basis.

Option: A contract that gives the owner the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a particular asset (the underlying stock) at a fixed price (the strike price) for a specific period of time (until expiration) . The contract also obligates the writer to meet the terms of delivery if the contract right is exercised by the owner.

Uncovered call option writing: A short call option position in which the writer does not own an equivalent position in the underlying security represented by his option contracts.