9. What are Advantages of Options?

Welcome to the world of options, a financial wonderland that offers a bouquet of benefits you can't find anywhere else!

The first magic trick in the options hat? Leverage. Picture this: you're eyeing a stock that's priced at $100. But instead of buying the whole shebang, you get an option contract for just $5. That's like getting a key to a luxury car for the price of a bicycle! If that stock climbs to $110, your $5 option could net you a cool $50 profit. That's the power of leverage - more bang for your buck!

Next up is Risk Hedging, a superpower that makes options stand tall compared to futures. Think of futures as a one-way street - if prices plummet, you're in for a bumpy ride with no brakes. But options? They're like a protective bubble, shielding you from market swings while letting you bask in the glory of asset appreciation. Say you're holding onto crude oil futures and the prices start to slide. If you also have put options in your pocket, you can turn those losses into gains. How cool is that?

The third charm of options is their Flexibility. With options, you're the master of your financial destiny. You can tweak contract numbers, adjust exercise times, and choose from a smorgasbord of strategies like call options, put options, selling options, and more. It's like being a chef in a financial kitchen, whipping up a custom-made investment dish that suits your taste buds!

For instance, let's say you own a stock and you're worried the market is about to do the jitterbug. You can buy a put option as a safety net. If the stock price takes a nosedive, your put option lets you sell the stock at a pre-set price, shielding you from loss. But if Lady Luck smiles and the market thrives, you only lose the small premium you paid for the option. It's like having your cake and eating it too!

Feeling intrigued? You can explore a whole universe of option strategies, from protective buying and vertical spreads to butterfly spreads and more, at the Coincall Academy's "Practical Strategies" section. Dive in and let the financial fun begin!

As a financial derivative, options have several advantages compared to other types of investments.