Financial Terms Glossary: WHAT IS AN OPTION?
An option, in finance, is a contract between two parties that gives the buyer the possibility, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a specific price on a future date. The underlying asset can be of different types, some examples are: Equity Forex Commodities Bond Index The specific price at which the buyer has the right to buy or sell the underlying asset is called "strike price." (K). There are two main types of options: 1. Call Option: A call option gives the buyer the possibility to buy the underlying asset at the strike price at a future date. This type of option is preferred if you have upward expectations of the underlying security. 2. Put Option: A put option gives the buyer the possibility…