OICs Wide World of Options

In this two-part episode, OIC host Mark Benzaquen first welcomes OIC colleague Mat Cashman in a return to Statistics 101 as they discuss probability, standard deviation, and tail risk in options. Then we turn to a special segment with Dr. Alan Ellman of The Blue Collar Investor, for a conversation about the value of options education and Alan’s take on mistakes investors new to options might make. Be sure to listen in to this episode of Wide World of Options, where industry pros come to talk.

In this latest, two-part episode, OIC instructor Roma Colwell joins show host, Mark Benzaquen to discuss the Greeks and their potential impact to trading options. And Dave Stuber from OCC’s Market Operations team drops in to discuss the process of listing new options on U.S. exchanges and how OCC systems maintain almost 1.5 million different options series each day. Tune in for this insightful and lively session that’s sure to appeal to investors of all levels.

For those new to options, certain aspects of pricing are difficult to understand. And for those more seasoned traders, even they might be left “in the dark” when it comes to the behind the scenes mechanics of OCC pricing determinations. Luckily, OIC has both covered. Join host Mark Benzaquen as he welcomes fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating and OCC Director Colin Fisher to discuss pricing basics and OCC’s margining processes in this lively and informative episode, sure to interest investors of all experience levels.

A New Year often brings with it new resolutions. If your resolution includes learning about options, The Options Industry Council and OIC’s Wide World of Options has you covered. In the first episode of 2024, host Mark Benzaquen explains the ins and outs of options fundamentals by defining options and discussing their potential uses. And as an added feature, Dave Nolan from OCC’s Member Services team joins the podcast to discuss OCC’s role in the marketplace.

When it comes to trading exchange-listed options, all may not be apples to apples. Different products may have different settlement styles, different exercise restrictions, and even differences in trading hours, among others. Join OIC host Mark Benzaquen and OIC instructor Roma Colwell as they breakdown the various differences, similarities, and possible uses for index options in this lively episode of OIC’s Wide World of Options.

Is there more to gain (or lose) when buying more options than you sell or selling more than you buy? And what about pricing—how do the Greeks and implied volatility factor into the mix? Join host Mark Benzaquen and fellow OIC instructor Ken Keating as they discuss, dissect, and deconstruct ratio spreads for stock repair and bullish and bearish forecasts, and uncover whether more is really more.

Pop Quiz: Is a 10% out-of-the-money put priced similarly to an equally out-of-the-money call? And when it comes to risk, does the market value each strike the same? For answers to these questions and many more, tune into this OIC Wide World of Options episode as host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC instructor Mat Cashman to discuss implied volatility and various ways the market prices individual options.

There are three certainties when it comes to the market: it can go up, it can go down, or it can stay the same. With that in mind, how might investors position themselves when they are uncertain which way the market will move - speculating that it WILL move one way or another? Or conversely, that it will not move at all? That’s where the flexibility and versatility of options comes in. Using long and short straddles and strangles, investors can employ options designed to potentially profit from market moves up OR down, or no movement whatsoever. To learn more, tune in as Wide World of Options host Mark Benzaquen explores buying and selling straddles and strangles and provides insight into how investors might use these strategies.

When it comes to options, it is often said that time is money—which could be apparent when constructing calendar and diagonal spreads. Join OIC instructors Mark Benzaquen and Roma Colwell as they break down the construction, risk profile, and potential opportunities of these spreads in this lively 30-minute segment, designed to offer valuable insight for beginners and professional traders alike.

Do birds of a feather actually flock together? In this month’s Wide World of Options podcast, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC Instructor and option’s veteran Mat Cashman to discuss condors and butterflies--two strategies that combine defined risk with variable option premiums and can even be built to express a directional bias. Just like birds spreading their wings, the iron condor can give a wide potential profit range, while the iron butterfly can hover between two strike prices. Join OIC as we explore these avian-inspired strategies in this fun and fast-paced episode.

When might an investor consider trading more than one option? In this month’s Wide World of Options podcast, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC Instructor and option’s veteran Ken Keating as they break down the fundamentals of vertical spread trading and share practical insight In determining various objectives of spread trading, as well as the potential risks and rewards inherent to spreads. Topics of discussion will include both debit and credit spreads as well as special risks all spread traders should familiarize themselves with.

Not every stock purchase will turn out to be a winner and, some investors may turn to options when looking for protection in turbulent times. Join OIC instructor Mark Benzaquen as he takes a deep-dive into the protective put and options collar strategies which can be used to potentially mitigate risk associated with stock holdings

Investors may look to options to potentially generate income through a variety of strategies. Two common strategies are the covered call and the cash-secured put, both of which use short options in the hopes of capturing premium for income. Join OIC instructors Mark Benzaquen and Roma Colwell as they discuss the setup and potential pitfalls of these two strategies during the next episode of Wide World of Options.

When it comes to options pricing, accurately forecasting how prices might react to changes in the marketplace can be as difficult as say, learning a new language. Fortunately, this OIC Wide World of Options podcast can help you translate. Join host Mark Benzaquen as he welcomes colleague and long-time options professional Mat Cashman for a talk about the theoretical option metrics known as The Greeks. Mark and Mat will guide you through the Greeks and explain how they can help measure risk.

Knowing how to value a call or put is necessary to understand options. But to take that understanding to the next level, investors should also have a firm grasp on the concept of volatility and how it may affect options pricing. In this Wide World of Options episode, host Mark Benzaquen welcomes OIC instructor Ken Keating for a discussion on the primary inputs used to determine options pricing as well as one of pricing’s key components, implied volatility.

If your New Year’s Resolutions include learning about options, OIC’s Wide World of Options podcast has you covered. Get started by learning basic terminology and fundamental concepts necessary to begin your journey. Led by 25-year options veteran and OIC instructor, Mark Benzaquen, the first OIC podcast of the year will explain the basic concepts of buying and selling, the differences between calls and puts, the processes of exercise and assignment, and so much more!

This episode was previously released on August 23, 2019. -------- Join host Ed Modla and Mark Benzaquen, Manager of the OCC Investor Services team, as they discuss the collar strategy and the many ways that it can be used for downside protection. Then, Ed will take a look back at the launch of the options industry in the 1970s and its evolution to present-day.

While a merger between two companies might affect its shareholders, what effect might it have on buyers and seller of options? Mergers, along with other corporate actions such as stock splits and special dividends, have become fairly commonplace in today’s investing landscape and as their impact is far-reaching, it is incumbent upon options investors to have a clear understanding of how these corporate actions might affect and impact their portfolios. Join long-time options industry professional and OIC instructor Mark Benzaquen as he details various corporate actions and explains how they may affect options.

When you’re buying or selling options, you should be aware of how a stock’s dividend can impact an option’s price--and your account. Join seasoned option professionals Mark Benzaquen and Mat Cashman as they discuss how dividends impact options pricing, the risk of early exercise, and the treatment of special dividends and adjusted contracts. Talking points:

How does trading options on a single stock differ from trading a basket of 500 or even 2,000? Is it just settlement style and exercise/ assignment limitations – or are there other market nuances investors should be aware of? Join seasoned options pros Mark Benzaquen and Roma Colwell as they discuss the differences (and similarities) of trading index options versus their single-stock counterparts. Topics to be addressed include: