Biogen halted, options expiring today.

This is why I do not understand options. Some folks here make their money selling puts by getting the fun money up front, and I am told that is a great way to make money in them.

Meanwhile I'm like, isn't it safer just buying a call, and getting the risk out of the way ahead of time?

Most stocks go up over time. You know, ones with big balance sheets and stuff. Why not buy the calls? Worse that can happen is you are assigned them, and you own a shitty stock. Like buying XOM in February.
Naked put writers justify it claiming they want to own the stock at $370 ect...
 
Seems like this would only affect those who were 1) ITM, 2) planning to get out before the close, and 3) didn't manage to do so before the halt. Also, those who were holding spreads where the price punched all the way through would have the wing auto-exercised - so the only ones who can get really hurt are people holding trades in which the price landed between the short and the long. Seems like that would be a rather small subset, no?

I agree that it's a risk people should know about. But then, trading pharmas and biotech is prone to that kind of crazy crap, and if anyone trading them doesn't know it, this will hopefully be a belated wake-up call...
I was trading a biotech back in 2012 where hedge funds were was short almost 100 percent the float. I begged my friend to sell because hedge funds don’t short that much unless its bad. Stock fell from $16 to $3, the $12.50 puts were $4 when stock was $16.
 
Why the Halt all day after FDA strong refusal? My friend is stuck with puts and yet he does not panic.
Agree, I would think they would have allowed it to open before the close of the day. Many options traders will be hurt, especially retail.
 
Stock fell from $16 to $3, the $12.50 puts were $4 when stock was $16.

That's always a tell.

Can you believe that while we've been sitting here talking about Biogen that Nikola has been steadfastly going about its business manufacturing zero vehicles?

Speaking of NKLA, at one point this summer when the stock was trading around $68 the $50 puts were offered at $23. NKLA closed today at $19.58.

Yes sir, @TrailerParkTed, always a tell.
 
How is the exercise procedure handled?
You would need to notify your broker by 530pm et (many brokers will have an earlier deadline in order to meet the 530pm OCC deadline) of your intent to exercise an out of the money contract or not exercise an in the money one.
The problem is if you are exercising it will require a lot of capital. A 10 lot of options will be over $300,000 worth of stock. Will the broker allow this if you tell them you most likely will be assigned/not assigned on other options? I don't know. Risk departments will have some tough decisions.
 
You would need to notify your broker by 530pm et (many brokers will have an earlier deadline in order to meet the 530pm OCC deadline) of your intent to exercise an out of the money contract or not exercise an in the money one.

Why would you exercise an OTM option?
 
Auto exercise may also be turned off due to the trading halt.

I'd never heard of that. Not disagreeing, but it would be interesting to find out if that's an actual thing.

P.S.:

Edit to add The OCC just put out a memo and auto exercise will be based on the last price before the halt
https://infomemo.theocc.com/infomemos?number=47809

...and that covers it. So, not turned off - just treated as though it was the price at the cash close.
 
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