Futures vs Options

I don't know anything about options margining and clearing. But you guys are missing a couple key points here...

SPAN Margin (Mark-to-Market in real-time by your FCM)
Performance Bond Offsets for Correlated Products (Margin Discounts)

This means that you can take opposing risks (Futures, FOPs) and the position is M2M with daily cash settlement. This is NOT true for cash securities under standard retail margining and clearing! For cash securities, there is also portfolio margin for some brokerage clients. Even so, futures offer more leverage than portfolio margin. Of course, you can build option structures that are huge leverage/risk, but for the most capital efficient management of risk, GLOBEX is the more flexible and effective solution. Prime brokerage notwithstanding (Custom "In-House" risk based margining).
 
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KGTrader4 said:
correct me if I am wrong… my understanding is if you by (or short) futures, and you get a margin call, you can just not meet the margin call and they’ll sell you out, so you CAN Limit your loss to what you put in. No?
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You could end up with a negative balance in your account that the broker will try to collect.
 
deaddog said:
You could end up with a negative balance in your account that the broker will try to collect.
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‘Sprain how with an example. It seems to me if Theyve got a minimum margin maintenance requirement, I’m going to get a margin call way before I am negative equity, I don’t meet the call, they sell me out and I list my investment in that particular trade (which would never be a large part of the account.

just did my first trade (PaperMoney on TD). Sold short /MES at 3880.75, bought to close, 5 minutes later at 3875.75. Did it just to see what it looks like. I think I made $25. Put up $1430 initial margin.
 
KGTrader4 said:
I'm learning a little dangerous knowledge about trading futures. Went through a learning module on TD website for the basics.

Here's what i am not clear on.... What are you accomplishing trading, for example /ES vs OEX options?
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I used to trade both futures and options. Here is my two cents: First, in options trading you are trading direction and volatility (more DTE, more important). Second in options trading, the bid/ask spread is higher so you will have to pay more to get into and out of a position. Third, options generally moves slower than futures, so impact of whipsaw are reduced. The biggest benefit with options is the cost of capital, especially if you trade options spread. The futures margin requirements is getting ridiculous now, especially on IBKR. For me, I moved from futures to options as I mainly trade 0DTE on SPX. I found that my return on capital is higher trading options than trading futures. Your experience may be different, depending on how you trade.
 
swingtrader123 said:
I used to trade both futures and options. Here is my two cents: First, in options trading you are trading direction and volatility (more DTE, more important). Second in options trading, the bid/ask spread is higher so you will have to pay more to get into and out of a position. Third, options generally moves slower than futures, so impact of whipsaw are reduced. The biggest benefit with options is the cost of capital, especially if you trade options spread. The futures margin requirements is getting ridiculous now, especially on IBKR. For me, I moved from futures to options as I mainly trade 0DTE on SPX. I found that my return on capital is higher trading options than trading futures. Your experience may be different, depending on how you trade.
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Thanks for the response, I’m still learning. Not really a trader, more a hobbyist. (Retired CFP).

at TD margin requirement is $1530 for micro e mini sp500
 
KGTrader4 said:
‘Sprain how with an example. It seems to me if Theyve got a minimum margin maintenance requirement, I’m going to get a margin call way before I am negative equity, I don’t meet the call, they sell me out and I list my investment in that particular trade (which would never be a large part of the account.

just did my first trade (PaperMoney on TD). Sold short /MES at 3880.75, bought to close, 5 minutes later at 3875.75. Did it just to see what it looks like. I think I made $25. Put up $1430 initial margin.
More...
Flash crash.
I've seen pretty wide moves on Fed announcements.
Not probable but possible.
 
KGTrader4 said:
correct me if I am wrong… my understanding is if you by (or short) futures, and you get a margin call, you can just not meet the margin call and they’ll sell you out, so you CAN Limit your loss to what you put in. No?
More...
KGTrader4 said:
‘Sprain how with an example. It seems to me if Theyve got a minimum margin maintenance requirement, I’m going to get a margin call way before I am negative equity, I don’t meet the call, they sell me out and I list my investment in that particular trade (which would never be a large part of the account.
More...
That's correct. You need to be above the margin set by your broker (day margin) and by the exchange (maintenance margin, applies to overnight positions)

BTW Ameritrade charges too much for futures commission
 
schizo said:
That's correct. You need to be above the margin set by your broker (day margin) and by the exchange (maintenance margin, applies to overnight positions)

BTW Ameritrade charges too much for futures commission
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$2.25 + $1.19 exchange fee.

I don’t even know if I’m gonna trade them, just got approved for the hell of it. May trade futures may not. Right now I’m just doing PaperMoney
 
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