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The Basics of Options Trading

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Basics of Options Trading

The Basics of Options Trading

For new investors, trading options can be somewhat daunting because of the lingo and perceived sophistication. However, as you will see, it is quite simple and can be an effective tactic for speculation or hedging one’s position. Here are some of the basics of options trading.

An option is the right, but not obligation, to purchase an underlying security at a certain price in the future. There are two basic options: calls and puts. A “call” is equivalent to a long position and a “put” is similar to a short position.

Investopedia has some good example scenarios of call and put options in action.

Trading options gives a trader leverage, and this can increase potential payoff and loss. Two areas where options can come in handy are for speculation or for hedging. In the former, a trader can use the leverage of options to bet a stock or index will move a certain way, raking in significant returns. From a hedging perspective, a trader can make a small bet by buying options that could protect against a market swing. Options can be an inexpensive insurance policy against bigger market movements that could destroy other aspects of a portfolio.

Original graphic from: Steady Options

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Will Tesla Lose Its Spot in the Magnificent Seven?

We visualize the recent performance of the Magnificent Seven stocks, uncovering a clear divergence between the group’s top and bottom names.

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Will Tesla Lose Its Spot in the Magnificent Seven?

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

In this graphic, we visualize the year-to-date (YTD) performance of the “Magnificent Seven”, a leading group of U.S. tech stocks that gained prominence in 2023 as the replacement of FAANG stocks.

All figures are as of March 12, 2024, and are listed in the table below.

RankCompanyYTD Change (%)
1Nvidia90.8
2Meta44.3
3Amazon16.9
4Microsoft12
5Google0.2
6Apple-6.7
7Tesla-28.5

From these numbers, we can see a clear divergence in performance across the group.

Nvidia and Meta Lead

Nvidia is the main hero of this show, setting new all-time highs seemingly every week. The chipmaker is currently the world’s third most valuable company, with a valuation of around $2.2 trillion. This puts it very close to Apple, which is currently valued at $2.7 trillion.

The second best performer of the Magnificent Seven has been Meta, which recently re-entered the trillion dollar club after falling out of favor in 2022. The company saw a massive one-day gain of $197 billion on Feb 2, 2024.

Apple and Tesla in the Red

Tesla has lost over a quarter of its value YTD as EV hype continues to fizzle out. Other pure play EV stocks like Rivian and Lucid are also down significantly in 2024.

Meanwhile, Apple shares have struggled due to weakening demand for its products in China, as well as the company’s lack of progress in the artificial intelligence (AI) space.

Investors may have also been disappointed to hear that Apple’s electric car project, which started a decade ago, has been scrapped.

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