Futures contracts are available for all sorts of financial products, from equity indexes to precious metals. You can trade options on futures contracts much like you trade options on other securities, by buying or writing call or put options depending on the direction you believe the underlying product will move.
Buying optionsprovides a way to profit from the movement of futures contracts, but at a fraction of the cost of buying the actual future.
Key Takeaways
- Options on futures work similarly to options on other securities, such as stocks.
- Futures options can be thought of as a 'second derivative' and require the trader to pay attention to detail.
- The key details for options on futures are the contract specifications for both the option contract and the underlying futures contract.
Options on Futures
Options on futures work similarly to options on other securities (such as stocks), but they tend to be cash-settled and of European style, meaning no early exercise. You trade options depending on how you expect the value of the underlying future, called the underlying, to move. You buy a call if you expect the value of a future to increase; you buy a put if you expect the value of a future to fall. The cost of buying the option is the premium.
Many futures contracts have options attached to them. Traders also write options.
Gold options, for example, are based on the price of gold futures, both cleared through the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group. Buying the future requires putting up an initial margin of $8,350—this amount is set by the CME, and varies by futures contract—which gives control of 100 ounces of gold. But buying a $2 gold option costs $200 (plus commissions): $2 x 100 ounces = $200.
The premium and what the option controls vary by the option, but an option position almost always costs less than an equivalent futures position.
Options are bought and sold before expiration to lock in a profit or reduce a loss to less than the premium paid.
Buy a call option if you believe the price of the underlying will increase. If the underlying increases in price before the option expires, the value of your option will rise. If the value doesn't increase, you lose the premium paid for the option.
Buy a put option if you believe the price of the underlying will decrease. If the underlying drops in value before your option expires, your option will increase in value. If the underlying doesn't drop, you lose the premium paid for the option.
Option prices are also based on "Greeks," variables that affect the price of the option. Greeks area set of risk measures that indicate how exposed an option istotime-value decay.
Writing Options for Income
When someone buys an option, someone else had to write that option. The writer of the option, who can be anyone, receives the premium from the buyer upfront (income) but is then liable to cover the gains attained by the buyer of that option.
The option writer's profit is limited to the premium received, but liability is large since the buyer of the option is expecting the option to increase in value. Therefore, option writers typically own the underlying futures contracts they write options on. This hedges the potential loss of writing the option, and the writer pockets the premium. This process is called "covered call writing" and is a way for a trader to generate trading income using options on futures they already have in their portfolio.
A written option can be closed out at any time to lock in a portion of the premium or limit a loss.
Trading Options Requirements
To trade options, you need a margin-approved brokerage account with access to options and futures trading. Your broker will ask you to fill out an options agreement to be sure you understand the risks of this type of trading, and will collect information about you, including:
- Your investment objectives
- Your investing experience
- Your net worth
- What kind of options you'd like to trade
Options on futures quotes are available from the CME (CME)and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), where options and futures trade. You can also find quotes in the trading platform provided by options brokers.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Options on a Futures Contract?
Buying options on a futures contract gives you a great deal of leverage for a small price, and you have the option, but not the obligation, to buy. You don't have to have the margin in place to buy options on a futures contract, and your loss is limited to the premium no matter what direction the underlying moves. When selling options on a futures contract, your maximum loss is unlimited, while your maximum profit is limited to the premium.
What Hours Can You Trade Options on Futures?
You can trade options on futures nearly six days a week. The market is open 24 hours a day beginning Sunday evening at 6 p.m. ET and ending Friday evening at 5 p.m. ET.
What Are Some Reasons to Trade Options on Futures Contracts?
You might want to trade options on a futures contract for several different reasons, depending on your goals:
- To hedge risk
- To speculate on direction
- To create a spread position
Before you trade options, it's important to understand the potential losses you face and have a plan for mitigating them so that you're comfortable taking on the risk of the transaction.
The Bottom Line
Buying options on futures may have certain advantages over buying regular futures. The option writer receives the premium upfront but is liable for the buyer's gains; because of this, option writers usually own the underlying futures contract to hedge this risk. To buy or write options requires a margin-approved brokerage account with access to CME orCBOEproducts.
FAQs
Buying options on a futures contract gives you a great deal of leverage for a small price, and you have the option, but not the obligation, to buy. You don't have to have the margin in place to buy options on a futures contract, and your loss is limited to the premium no matter what direction the underlying moves.
What is the point of options on futures? ›
An option on a futures contract gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a specific futures contract at a strike price on or before the option's expiration date. These work similarly to stock options, but differ in that the underlying security is a futures contract.
What are options on futures contracts called? ›
Futures and options, both are referred to as derivatives. However, they are slightly different from each other. In future contract, the buyer has the obligation to buy/ sell the assets. Whereas, in option contract, customers have no obligation to buy or sell the assets.
Is it good to trade in futures and options? ›
Futures and options are both commonly used derivatives contracts that both hedgers and speculators use on a variety of underlying securities. Futures have several advantages over options in the sense that they are often easier to understand and value, have greater margin use, and are often more liquid.
Can I trade options on futures at Schwab? ›
Your home for futures trading. Whether you're beginning to explore futures or ready to dive in, discover the possibilities with futures and futures options trading provided by Charles Schwab Futures and Forex LLC.
Can you exercise options on futures? ›
Remember: Buyers exercise and sellers get assigned. This is the last day on which an option can be exercised into the underlying futures contract. After this point the option will cease to exist; the buyer cannot exercise and the seller has no obligation.
What are the risks of options on futures? ›
Selling options on futures can be extremely risky, especially if the position is unhedged (i.e. a naked short option position). Sellers face potentially substantial losses if the market moves against their position.
What are the cons of futures options? ›
However, trading options and futures is not without its risks. One of the most significant risks is the double-edged sword of leverage. While leverage can increase potential profits, it can also amplify losses.
Do you need margin to trade futures options? ›
In futures trading, this leverage is made possible by trading on margin. Margin is the amount of funds required to enter a futures position, which is usually a fraction of the contract's total value. Margin for futures is different than margin for stocks. In stocks, you borrow against your assets like a loan.
What are the 4 types of futures contract? ›
Here are the types of futures contracts to know:
- Commodity Futures. You already know that a futures contract's value is based on an underlying asset. ...
- Currency Futures. Understanding what is currency futures can help unlock more investment opportunities. ...
- Stock Futures. ...
- Index Futures. ...
- Interest Rate Futures.
The choice between futures and options depends on your investment goals and risk tolerance – Both instruments can be used for hedging, but options offer more flexibility and limited risk. Futures offer higher potential profits but also higher risk, while options provide limited profit potential with capped losses.
What are the hours for futures options trading? ›
What are the trading hours for futures? Most futures markets are open nearly 24 hours per day, from Sunday evening until Friday afternoon, but some futures products have unique trading hours. But keep in mind that each product has its own unique trading hours. See the trading hours here.
Which is riskier, options or futures? ›
1. Which one is safer futures or options? Options are generally considered safer than futures because the potential loss in options trading is limited to the premium paid, whereas futures carry higher risk due to potential unlimited losses resulting from leverage and market movements.
Do options on futures decay? ›
Instead, outright futures contracts will actively track the spot price, and your initial entry point will determine the profit or loss made on the contract, also referred to as the spread. However, options on futures experience time decay as that is technically “a derivative of a derivative.”
Which trading is most profitable? ›
Profitable trading strategies differ among individuals due to distinct variables such as risk tolerance and the amount of capital one has at their disposal. Several highly effective strategies that a multitude of traders find profitable include techniques like Scalping, Candlestick trading, and Profit Parabolic.
Can you trade options on futures after hours? ›
Most people know the stock market closes at 4 p.m. ET, and some are aware that they can trade in the after-hours session until 8 p.m. However, there are also nearly round-the-clock markets for futures, futures options, and currency products available to qualified account owners.
Are options on futures subject to day trading rules? ›
PDT rules don't apply to futures trading, but futures have their own set of rules; they are regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Plus, futures contracts use leverage, which means they're traded in margin accounts that require special privileges.
Can we hold futures and options? ›
You can combine options and futures to trade markets where you are not sure of the direction. Options can be used to profit in volatile markets and in lacklustre markets.
What is the difference between futures contract and futures options? ›
Futures vs. options: Key differences
Obligation to buy: Futures require you to purchase the deliverable if you hold the contract at expiration, while option owners have the right, but not the obligation, to exercise the contract.
