equity options at expiration

[MK020]

I've gathered from reading posts that most equity options stop trading Fridays 4pm EST, the deadline to exercise is 530pm EST, and firms are notified of the decision at a time before 11:59pm.

So if I sell a naked call, what specific time does my broker make me buy the shares for delivery? Do I buy at the 530pm price in the after-hours session? If my firm doesn't officially know if the option has been excised until after 8pm (when after-hours trading closes), is my first opportunity to buy on a Monday?

Obviously, all of this has huge implications on risk.

 

[newwurldmn]

I've gathered from reading posts that most equity options stop trading Fridays 4pm EST, the deadline to exercise is 530pm EST, and firms are notified of the decision at a time before 11:59pm.

So if I sell a naked call, what specific time does my broker make me buy the shares for delivery? Do I buy at the 530pm price in the after-hours session? If my firm doesn't officially know if the option has been excised until after 8pm (when after-hours trading closes), is my first opportunity to buy on a Monday?

Obviously, all of this has huge implications on risk.

The broker doesn’t make you buy shares for delivery. You will deliver them short. you will sell the stock at the strike price.

On Monday it will be your job to handle that short position (either to close it or hold it).

brokers will use official closing price
To determine if an option will
Be assigned. However You may not be assigned if say the stock falls in the after hours and a long option holder decides not to exercise.

 

[traider]

The broker doesn’t make you buy shares for delivery. You will deliver them short. you will sell the stock at the strike price.

On Monday it will be your job to handle that short position (either to close it or hold it).

brokers will use official closing price
To determine if an option will
Be assigned. However You may not be assigned if say the stock falls in the after hours and a long option holder decides not to exercise.

What if the broker has no borrows for the stock. Will they force cover you immediately?

 

[newwurldmn]

What if the broker has no borrows for the stock. Will they force cover you immediately?

I think it falls under the free ride rules and you may have to cover immediately.

Personally I wouldn’t let an itm option expire unless I want to take delivery (either I’m squared up) or the stock position hedges another position well.

 

[MK020]

You will deliver them short.

On Monday it will be your job to handle that short position (either to close it or hold it).

If the option I wrote is deep ITM at 5:29:29, can I just buy the stock at 5:29:29 to avoid holding a short position over the weekend?

 

[newwurldmn]

If the option I wrote is deep ITM at 5:29:29, can I just buy the stock at 5:29:29 to avoid holding a short position over the weekend?

yes.

note though that 99percent of the time being exercised is based on the 4pm price.​