“Jeff’s analysis is unique, at least among academic derivatives textbooks. I would definitely use this material in my derivatives class, as I believe students would benefit from analyzing the many dimensions of Jeff’s trading strategies. I especially found the material on trading the earnings cycle and discussion of how to insure against price jumps at known events very worthwhile.” —DR. ROBERT JENNINGS, Professor of Finance, Indiana University Kelley School of Business   “This is not just another book about options trading. The author shares a plethora of knowledge based on 20 years of trading experience and study of the financial markets. Jeff explains the myriad of complexities about options in a manner that is insightful and easy to understand. Given the growth in the options and derivatives markets over the past five years, this book is required reading for any serious investor or anyone in the financial service industries.” —MICHAEL P. O’ (more…)

Use Puts to Mitigate Risk, Reverse and Offset Losses, and Protect Profits–Even in Plummeting Markets!   “In these financial times, this is an especially timely book. Michael C. Thomsett provides practical, direct instruction to investors on how to employ put options to enhance and protect their portfolios. A powerful guide for professionals and novices alike.” –Virginia B. Gerhart, CFP, President, Gerhart Associates   “Michael C. Thomsett’s Put Option Strategies is a must read for all stock investors who want to protect profits and manage risk in volatile stock markets. This easy to read book explains the basic strategies and moves on to more sophisticated uses of put option strategies to hedge risk in bear markets. The use of leverage is clearly explained to provide the tools for conservative investors to increase their profitable trading. This book is an excellent resource for all stock investors and should be read by all investors who want to lock (more…)

Review

” Guy Cohen is the master when it comes to taming the complexities of options. From buying calls and puts to iron butterflies and condors, Guy explains these strategies in a clear and concise manner that options traders of any level can understand. His chapter on options and taxes is especially welcomed (and needed). The Bible of Options Strategies is a straightforward, easy-to-use reference work that should occupy a space on any options trader’s bookshelf. ” –Bernie Schaeffer, Chairman and CEO, Schaeffer’s Investment Research, Inc.   “The author delivers clarity, insight and perception making learning about options a joy, and practicing the art of making money that much easier: truly a bible from a guru.”–Alpesh B. Patel, Author and Financial Times Columnist   “Guy Cohen truly makes learning about options easy in this fact-filled guide. Bullet points make for a quick and enlightened read, getting to the heart of what you really need to know about (more…)

“Learn and profit from Jeff Augen’s book: It clearly explains how to take advantage of market inefficiencies in collapsing implied volatility, effects of strike price, and time decay. A must-read for individuals who are options oriented.” –Ralph J. Acampora, CMT, Director of Technical Analysis Studies, New York Institute of Finance   “A fantastic, insightful book full of meticulously compiled statistics about anomalies that surround option expiration. Not only does Augen present a set of effective trading strategies to capitalize on these anomalies, he walks through the performance of each across several expirations. His advice is practical and readily applicable: He outlines common pitfalls, gives guidance on timing your executions, and even includes code that can be used to perform the same calculations he does in the text. A thoroughly enjoyable read that will give you a true edge in your option trading.” –Alexis Goldstein, Vice President, Equity De (more…)

One of the most widely read books among active option traders around the world, Option Volatility & Pricing has been completely updated to reflect the most current developments and trends in option products and trading strategies. Featuring: Pricing models Volatility considerations Basic and advanced trading strategies Risk management techniques And more! Written in a clear, easy-to-understand fashion, Option Volatility & Pricing points out the key concepts essential to successful trading. Drawing on his experience as a professional trader, author Sheldon Natenberg examines both the theory and reality of option trading. He presents the foundations of option theory explaining how this theory can be used to identify and exploit trading opportunities. Option Volatility & Pricing teaches you to use a wide variety of trading strategies and shows you how to select the strategy that best fits your view of market conditions and individual risk tolerance. New s (more…)

Given the recent volatility in the markets over the past few years,there is a growing need for traders to learn how options can be used for better risk management.Using the right strategies and trade adjustments,creative investors can hedge or even boost their profits,limit their losses,and create risk-free trades.Although many investors understand how to trade stocks or options,very few know how to use options as a dynamic risk reduction and portfolio enhancement tool.Implementing these strategies requires more than just an understanding of the mechanics of trading,it requires ingenuity and imagination —as well as a comprehensive trading reference tool. Designed as a resource for intermediate to advanced traders,The Option Trader Handbook teaches both the science and the art of trade man- agement,and offers numerous strategies and tech- niques for minimizing risk and volatility.The authors, both recognized experts in the field,discuss stock and option p (more…)

Review

“Clear, concise, and easy to read…an excellent job of making strategies involving short options accessible to everyone.” — James B. Bittman, Senior Instructor, CBOE Options Institute, and author of Options for the Stock Investor”Superbly written…irresistibly clever ways to cope with the market’s stubborn refusal to publish an itinerary of the future.” — Don Worden, Worden Brothers, Inc., publishers of TeleChart, www.worden.com”These savvy investors likely outperform 98% of all investors over the years.” — Yale Hirsch, Founder, The Stock Trader’s Almanac”This book presents sophisticated investment strategies in simple and clear language, enabling investors to improve their returns and reduce risks.” — Pedro Belli, Economist, formerly with the World Bank”This method works exceptionally well no matter which way the market swings…an excellent way to establish an investment portfolio.” — Brooks Harrison, Former Chief Technical Analyst, John Magee, Inc.
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The Mathematics of Options Trading shows options traders how to improve their overall trading performance by first understanding and harnessing options mathematics. This detailed manual introduces the math needed to understand options and how they work and provides step-by-step instructions on how to use that math to analyze intended trades before committing capital. Traders learn how to use moving averages, curve fitting, extreme values, skewness, and other techniques to augment trading profits. The valuable accompanying CD-ROM contains programs for analyzing opportunities using several strategies, creating spreadsheets, and more.

From the Back Cover

Market-tested guidelines to understand the math and determine the profit potential of each option trade Successful option trading requires that you understand and know how to use the mathematics underlying option prices. The Mathematics of Options Trading focuses on that m (more…)

Reflecting today’s market realities and the new innovative options products available, this fourth edition features an in-depth analysis of volatility and volatility trading; updated information on all stock option strategies, reflecting recent market conditions; buy and sell strategies for Long Term Equity Anticipation Securities (LEAPs); detailed guidance for investing in the growing field of structured products; the latest developments in futures and futures options; and the market impact of the most recent changes in the margin rules. Packed with graphs and charts to clarify profit and loss potential, margin requirements, and criteria for selection of a position, this classic remains an indispensable resource for investors determined to master the world of options–and profit.

From the Publisher

The options world has a lot to offer investors and traders alike, but it can be dauntingly hard to understand. Since its original publication, Options (more…)