As an example, if I'm bullish I often sell an otm put vertical, expecting the underlying to move. But I could just as easily buy the call vertical and get the exact same risk/reward/greeks profile.
db
Quote from yonglonglai:
Its better because the returns are better.
Simply US options increment by $2.5 or $5 per strike and Australian options increment by $0.50 per strike.
From my personal experience, i find it easier to look for 10c - 15c premium on a 50c spread on the Australian Stock market (20-30% return)
Looking at the usual big stocks on the US, eg GOOG MSFT QQQQ etc. I find it quite difficult to get $1 premium on a $5 spread in the US market. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, just that there are more opportunities on the Australian Market if you want to get higher returns compared to the US Market for the same amount of risk.
I don't find any issues with options liquidity, I only trade on the top 50 liquid options on the ASX. (its nothing in comparison to the US liquidity, but the returns are much better)
Hope this makes sense.
1. There's a margin requirement for the credit vertical which thus negates this perceived 'advantage' of getting a credit in your account.Quote from panzerman:
Except the put spread produces a credit for your account, and the call spread produces a debit. Also, which position you should choose depends on where implied volatility is. Buy low, sell high. IV that is.
As to which strikes to choose, focus on the ATM strike. If IV is high, and you're bullish, sell the ATM put leg, otherwise if IV is low and your bullish, buy the ATM call leg.