Minimum and SPAN margins for options selling

Quote from thegazelle:

PC-SPAN (CME's product) is a joke. $500 to calculate your own margin...
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Yes, I've read on this forum about PC-SPAN. But it's only a margin calculator. Once I get theoretical margin level form PC-SPAN, I have to find a broker that offers me the same margin.

What broker do option sellers use? IB, OXpress, ToS?

Thanks.

LM
 
Quote from LordMib:

Yes, I've read on this forum about PC-SPAN. But it's only a margin calculator. Once I get theoretical margin level form PC-SPAN, I have to find a broker that offers me the same margin.

What broker do option sellers use? IB, OXpress, ToS?

Thanks.

LM
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You are missing the point. All options on futures are margined according to SPAN and this is what the brokers will give you.
 
Quote from MTE:

You are missing the point. All options on futures are margined according to SPAN and this is what the brokers will give you.
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Sorry for my misunderstanding. All options on futures are margined with SPAN by exchange, but broker can add other margin? In practice, can I be sure that every broker (the top ranked option brokers) demand me exactly the margin required by exchange?

LM
 
You have a point. Every broker has a right to set higher margins. SPAN margin indicates only minimal overnight rate.
 
Quote from ids:

You have a point. Every broker has a right to set higher margins. SPAN margin indicates only minimal overnight rate.
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Perfect ids, but probably every broker has his own margin policy that can be option-selling friendly or not. I'm searching for some names of option-selling friendly broker.

It's simple, what broker does naked option sellers usually use?
 
Quote from MTE:

You are missing the point. All options on futures are margined according to SPAN and this is what the brokers will give you.
More...

short strange example: short mar CL(oil) 75 put & mar CL 107 call.

IB margin=$3800, ThinkOrSwim and OptionsXpress margin=$915,
 
I am noticing the same thing.

IB SPAN margin for future options (es ) is substantially higher than Thinkorswim. Is there a reason why IB charges is so much more ?

( At the same time IB commissions on the emini are much lower than Thinkorswim )
 
Quote from klenko:

short strange example: short mar CL(oil) 75 put & mar CL 107 call.

IB margin=$3800, ThinkOrSwim and OptionsXpress margin=$915,
More...

Hello. Where can I find margin requirements you posted above? I mean, technically, where to see them in TOS client?

Here's TOS screenshot, I've got 'BP Effect' which means margin (true?). So to calculate margin for strangle I have to take BP Effect for one leg and add premium from another?
 

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is there a way to self-calculate the SPAN margin per selling a naked futures put or call option without having to continually ask your futures broker? My platform does not offer nor configure this so would have to ask on every sell naked futures option thought....thanks for any help...is there a calculator online somewhere?
 
For real example...what would the SPAN margin be per 1 contract of the following futures options (both are naked)...

sell naked 1 August 90 strike put CL (oil) which expires on 7/15/11

and

sell naked 1 July 1310 strike put ES (mini sp 500) which expires on 7/15/11

thanks in advance...
 
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