Buying calls and puts

There is a lot of crap online for free. Lies, exaggerations. Read a few books, too, so you can learn to sort out the difference.
 
Really study Options before you get into it. No need to buy books or spend $$ on courses. This isn't the 90s. All material is available online for free.
When you start, only risk a small amount to see how PnL works. Oh and don't get cocky. Leverage goes both ways.

All the good stuff seldom written. But then those who have good stuff who may entrust others to know it expect it not to be handed out, and that is why one must keep closed mouth cause many can't keep promises.
 
Hello all. For those that successfully trade options by buying calls (when bullish outlook) or puts (when bearish outlook), which is the most effective of these - buying ITM, deep ITM, ATM, OTM or deep OTM?

I am not after the arguments against buying calls/puts. I know the general perception is that selling options is better than buying, but then why do we still have buyers (i.e. who the sellers selling to!), obviously there must be people that buy options profitably over the long-term. Thanks

I am not an expert in Options when doing just them for profits, been studying and trading them last four years, what I have learned is they have to be part of a Credit spread eventually. Even when you buy them and market going in right direction, you can still be wrong, only times they seem to be going one for one is very close to expiration but then if you bought much earlier, you are rapidly losing the original premium, so when you buying outright, my testing is still losing. I do have much experience since 90s of using them as a hedge in futures/stocks and have learned much doing that. But as far as options trading, I use very little of the "Greeks" other than comparisons between nearby and what they supposed to be valued at. I am Primarily directional chart reader with well back tested Trading Plan. I do wide Credit Spreads and more distant till expiration options that concentration on getting out is foremost ability. My back testing show OTM and deep OTM is like flipping a coin and bet it lands on it's side.

Good Trading to you.
 
For those that successfully trade options by buying calls (when bullish outlook) or puts (when bearish outlook), which is the most effective of these - buying ITM, deep ITM, ATM, OTM or deep OTM?

This answer, like alot in trading, can't necessarily be given in a black or white format -- it's much more grey.

I myself am a successful options trader; I'm a buyer of them...not a seller.
You can make much more buying them, rather then selling them for the instant premium collected. o_O:sneaky:

But I wouldn't advise anyone to buy them...most/alot of people...are much better or safer off selling them for that relatively small premium.

It takes a much more skilled Trader to understand and trade Options successfully. -- not everyone has the qualities or characteristics to do it.
...it's kind of like comparing a fighter pilot to a casual personal gliding aircraft only; the latter being a safer/slower longer term stock investor.
 
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Hey Danjuma,

I'm a buyer only, I just don't like the risk involved in selling options. Of course they perform better, because there is more risk.

When I first started trading options there was a story on JP morgan which involved JP placing a relative big trade on something and it went against them. There were unable to get out of the position and lost quite a lot of capital, if I hunt around I could dig it up.

I basically got spooked and always brought my options to cap the risks involved. U gotta understand that selling options have brought major corporations into liquidation. You're just "seeing the light" involed with selling. I've met people that have losts multiple investment properties selling / writing options.

Best of luck.
 
Hey Danjuma,

I'm a buyer only, I just don't like the risk involved in selling options. Of course they perform better, because there is more risk.

When I first started trading options there was a story on JP morgan which involved JP placing a relative big trade on something and it went against them. There were unable to get out of the position and lost quite a lot of capital, if I hunt around I could dig it up.

I basically got spooked and always brought my options to cap the risks involved. U gotta understand that selling options have brought major corporations into liquidation. You're just "seeing the light" involed with selling. I've met people that have losts multiple investment properties selling / writing options.

Best of luck.

I would be interested in that Jpm story
 
Everyone that has responded to my enquiry, thank you very much for your tips and advice. Much appreciated. Please keep them coming ;)
 
I would be interested in that Jpm story

I started trading around 2012 (studied the market for about 2 years before hand) and this was a major story back then. I remember them addmitting that they couldn't get out of the trade.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jp-morgan-loss-grows-2012-5

and wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss

Uz might laugh but I wouldn't even open a open futures position without a corresponding option to cap the risks..... Well mbey short on the indexes as I can't really see any major index moving 15% up.
 
I started trading around 2012 (studied the market for about 2 years before hand) and this was a major story back then. I remember them addmitting that they couldn't get out of the trade.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jp-morgan-loss-grows-2012-5

and wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss

Uz might laugh but I wouldn't even open a open futures position without a corresponding option to cap the risks..... Well mbey short on the indexes as I can't really see any major index moving 15% up.

Ah. I thought you were referring to some other equity derivatives loss.

This was a famous one of them getting too big for the market more than it was about them being short convexity.
 
I started trading around 2012 (studied the market for about 2 years before hand) and this was a major story back then. I remember them addmitting that they couldn't get out of the trade.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/jp-morgan-loss-grows-2012-5

and wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss

Uz might laugh but I wouldn't even open a open futures position without a corresponding option to cap the risks..... Well mbey short on the indexes as I can't really see any major index moving 15% up.

VaR model again!

Obviously they should have built a much better VaR model by now! We'll see!



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_JPMorgan_Chase_trading_loss

Investigation

The internal investigation concluded in July 2012. It involved more than 1,000 people across the firm and outside law firm WilmerHale.[24] A report issued in January 2013 made the following "key observations"[25]

"CIO [Chief Investment Office] judgment, execution and escalation in the First Quarter of 2012 were poor"
"The Firm did not ensure that the controls and oversight of CIO evolved commensurately with the increased complexity and risks of certain CIO activities"
"CIO risk management was ineffective in dealing with synthetic credit portfolio"
"Risk limits for CIO were not sufficiently granular"
"Approval and implementation of CIO Synthetic Credit VaR Model were inadequate"
 
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