Trading has been the ultimate source of flexible income among multiple populations in the last few years. 2020 was a significant year of people trading in options, paving the way for others to hop on the bandwagon too. The recent numbers rolled out by the Options Clearing Corporationstate that options traders managed to set a record of trading almost 7.5 billion contracts in 2020 by betting on high stock prices.

This is one of the key motivations behind a large group of people wanting to enter the financial markets and master the ins and outs of options trading. It’s safe to say that options trading is being pursued by both new and experienced traders these days. The primary reason behind this is the flexibility this trading type offers in terms of avoiding risks. In other words, options trading prevents the obligation to buy as traders place their trades.

From reducing the risk of losses to skyrocketing people’s income, there’s a wide range of benefits of options trading among traders seeking extra protection against market fluctuations. With the right trading community platform, you can always learn the basics of options trading. Here’s a beginner’s guide to options trading for you to check out.

What is Options Trading?

Before moving on to options strategies for beginners, it’s first crucial to know what options trading means. This will essentially allow you to make the best use of your trading skills and employ the right strategies accordingly.

The best way to describe options trading is as a form of contract or option that a trader gets that allows them to pre-negotiate a stock’s price at a specific future date without the need to actually buy it. It’s where traders place bets for an asset’s price movement within a certain future date without investing in it.

Traders often choose options trading strategies in volatile times when there’s a lot of socioeconomic uncertainty in the financial markets. For instance, options trading increased in 2022 with global inflation, increased oil rates, and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Apart from allowing traders to easily speculate market conditions and use their knowledge to place bets wisely, options trading offers a hedge against losses that can usually take place during share price fluctuations.

Despite its benefits, options trading is still quite complex for beginners.It’s because options traders should always have the best strategies in mind, along with a better understanding of how to open options trade accounts and what makes them different from a regular trading account.

Key Terms to Know for Options Trading for Beginners

As a trader, it’s crucial to be aware of trading lingo and be able to recognize common trading terms and phrases when you’re trying to succeed. It’s one of the key reasons to become a part of a trading community platform where participants frequently share information that other traders can benefit from.

As an options trader, you don’t only need to know the different types of options but also have a substantial understanding of the key terms associated with them. Here are a few of them explained.

Call and Put Options

These are the two types of options available in options trading. Traders can choose to buy a trade at a prenegotiated price within a specific date under a call option. Similarly, they’re entitled to sell a trade under the same conditions with a put option.

Strike Price

The price traders prenegotiated in options trading is known as a strike price. This number always comes with an expiration date that should be made clear when traders decide to go for an option.

Options Premium

When you decide to purchase an option, you’re required to pay an option’s premium. This price is determined by calculating the difference between the predetermined price and the asset’s underlying value.

In-the-Money/Out-of-Money

If you’re able to generate a profit out of your options, it’ll be referred to as in-the-money. However, losses will clearly be regarded as out-of-money.

Steps to Take When Trading in Options

Now that we know what options trading means and how it’s helpful, you may be wondering how to get started. The good news is that with the right options strategy and assistance from a trading expert, you can start trading options within four simple steps.They’re as follows.

Open an Options Trading Account

Like any other trading practice, the first thing to do is open an options trading account. This requires a few more steps and an even larger capital because of how complex options trading is and the way brokers conduct a thorough trader evaluation before permitting to open an account.

Choose the Options You’re Looking to Buy or Sell

The next step is to pick whether you need to buy or sell options. This entirely depends on the stock prices and their movement. For instance, it’s a good idea to buy a call option if you think the stock prices are likely to rise. Similarly, buying a put option is a good idea if the stock prices are going down.

Determine the Strike Price

Next, you need to determine the strike price as per the options matrix. This is where you’re supposed to play smart and pick wisely among all the available strike prices in the options range.

Specify the Expiry Date

The last step is to specify the amount of period you’re looking to exercise a trade option. This includes daily, monthly, weekly, and even yearly expiration dates, depending on your strategy.

If you’re looking for a trading community platform to learn options trading for beginners, make sure you check out the pricing plans offered at Trading Alphas. It’s one of the best places to learn swing trading strategies and the basics of day trading for maximum financial freedom. Contact them to learn more today!