The advantage of buying options is the ability to create limited risk trades and strategies without having to utilize a stop-loss order, hence you avoid stop-outs (as long your account equity supports the option buy price). Furthermore, you risk is limited but your profit is unlimited.
Call and Put options on MT4 can be used to trade currency market direction. If you expect a currency pair to rise you may buy a Call option and if you expect a pair to fall you may buy a Put.
Two things you need to consider when buying options; the strike price and the expiry date. Through buying an option you are reserving a price in the market and that reserved price is known as the strike. The value of an option depends on the market price level relative to the strike price. The more the strike can 'beat' the market the more the option is worth. Secondly, options with a longer expiry will cost more but they also give more time for your outlook to happen, this could be described as 'buying more time'.
Trade an uptrend
You would buy a Call to trade an uptrend because a Call gives the owner the right to buy a currency pair at a certain market rate. This certain rate is the strike rate. Once you are holding the option, the more the strike can 'beat' the market the more valuable your option becomes.
For example, the image below shows a weekly (w) EUR/USD Call with a strike of 1.0900. If you buy this option you will hold the right to buy EUR/USD at 1.0900 until the end of the trading week. The option costs 0.00414 (Ask price) to buy.
Note that, 0.00414 = 41.4 pips
If EUR/USD is trading above the strike rate by expiry the option will have value because your option is allowing you to buy at a better rate. Say, EUR/USD is trading at 1.1000 your strike of 1.0900 allows you to buy at a much cheaper rate (100 pips cheaper in fact!). The more the market rate rises above your strike the more valuable the Call option becomes.
When your options value is higher than the price you paid for it, you may sell it for a profit. On the other hand, if EUR/USD is trading below the strike rate at expiry, the Call option has no value and a loss is incurred. Your loss is limited to the price you initially paid for the option (in this case that is 41.4 pips).
In summary, as the market rate moves UP, above the strike rate,the call option's value increases and if the market moves DOWN, expiring below the strike, a loss is incurred. The loss is limited yet the position cannot get stopped-out. This may be useful to trade a volatile uptrend.
Trade a downtrend
You would buy a Put to trade a downtrend because a Put gives the owner the right to sell a currency pair at a strike rate. Once you are holding the option, the more the strike can 'beat' the market the more valuable your option becomes.
For example, the image below shows a weekly EUR/USD Put with a strike of 1.0800. It would cost you 0.00337 (Ask price) to hold the right to sell EUR/USD at 1.0800 until the end of the trading week.
Note that, 0.00337 = 33.7 pips
If the market rate is below the strike rate by expiry the Put option will have value because it allows you to sell at a better rate. Say,EUR/USD moved to 1.0700, you have the right to sell at the higher rate of 1.0800. The more the market falls, the more valuable the Put option becomes.
When your options value is higher than the price you paid for it, you may sell it for a profit. On the other hand, if EUR/USD is trading above the strike rate at expiry, the Put option has no value and a loss is incurred. Your loss is limited to the price you paid (in this case that is 33.7 pips).
In summary, as the market rate moves DOWN, below the strike rate,the Put option's value increases and if the market moves UP, expiring above the strike, a loss is incurred. The loss is limited yet the position cannot get stopped-out. This may be useful during a volatile downtrend.
The possibilities through buying options don't stop there, they can also be used to trade strategies such as straddle and strangles allowing investors to take advantage of increases or decrease in market volatility. These will be explained in future articles.
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD failed just ahead of the 200-day SMA
Finally, AUD/USD managed to break above the 0.6500 barrier on Wednesday, extending the weekly recovery, although its advance faltered just ahead of the 0.6530 region, where the key 200-day SMA sits.
EUR/USD met some decent resistance above 1.0700
EUR/USD remained unable to gather extra upside traction and surpass the 1.0700 hurdle in a convincing fashion on Wednesday, instead giving away part of the weekly gains against the backdrop of a decent bounce in the Dollar.
Gold keeps consolidating ahead of US first-tier figures
Gold finds it difficult to stage a rebound midweek following Monday's sharp decline but manages to hold above $2,300. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury bond yield stays in the green above 4.6% after US data, not allowing the pair to turn north.
Bitcoin price could be primed for correction as bearish activity grows near $66K area
Bitcoin (BTC) price managed to maintain a northbound trajectory after the April 20 halving, despite bold assertions by analysts that the event would be a “sell the news” situation. However, after four days of strength, the tables could be turning as a dark cloud now hovers above BTC price.
Bank of Japan's predicament: The BOJ is trapped
In this special edition of TradeGATEHub Live Trading, we're joined by guest speaker Tavi @TaviCosta, who shares his insights on the Bank of Japan's current predicament, stating, 'The BOJ is Trapped.' Coach Dale probes into Tavi's views on the so-called 'money on the sidelines,' leading to a detailed discussion about the relatively small percentage of investments in gold and miners.
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