SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Call Option

A contract that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to buy 100 shares of an underlying asset at a fixed price (the strike price) by a specific date (the expiration date). You buy a call when you expect the underlying price to rise above the strike price plus the premium you paid.

Put Option

A contract that gives you the right (but not the obligation) to sell 100 shares of an underlying asset at a fixed price (the strike price) by a specific date (the expiration date). You buy a put when you expect the underlying price to drop below the strike price minus the premium you paid.

Strike Price

The fixed price at which the holder of an option can buy (for call options) or sell (for put options) the underlying asset. Options are available at multiple strike prices, typically spaced $1 to $5 apart for liquid underlyings.

Option Premium

The price you pay per share to buy an option contract. The total cost of the option is the premium per share multiplied by 100 (the standard contract size) and the number of contracts you buy. The premium is made up of intrinsic value (if the option is in the money) and time value (the extra amount traders pay for the chance the option will move further into the money before expiration).

Break-even

The underlying price at which an option trade results in zero profit at expiration. For call options, break-even is strike price + premium per share. For put options, break-even is strike price - premium per share. The underlying must move past the break-even point at expiration for the trade to be profitable.

Volatility

How much and how fast an asset price swings. High volatility means large price moves in short periods; low volatility means calm, small moves.

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