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Short Condor Explained | Online Option Trading Guide

A long condor spread with calls is a four-part strategy that is created by buying one call at a lower strike price, selling one call with a higher strike price, selling another call with an even higher strike price and buying one more call with an even higher strike price.

All calls have the same expiration date, and the strike prices are equidistant. In the example above, one 95 Call is purchased, one Call is sold, one Call is sold, and one Call is purchased. This strategy is established for a net debit, and both the potential profit and maximum risk are limited. The maximum profit is realized if the stock price is between the middle two strike prices on the expiration date.

The maximum risk is the net cost of the strategy including commissions and is realized if the stock price is above the highest strike price or below the lowest strike price at expiration. Given that there are four strike prices and four options, there are multiple commissions and bid-ask spreads when opening the position and again when closing it.

The maximum profit potential is equal to the difference between the strike prices less the net cost of the position including commissions, and this profit is realized if the stock price is between the middle strike prices at expiration. In the example above, the difference between the strike prices is 5.

The maximum profit, therefore, is 2. The maximum risk is the net cost of the strategy including commissions, and there are two possible outcomes in which a loss of this amount is realized.

If the stock price is below the lowest strike price at expiration, then all calls expire worthless and the full cost of the strategy including commissions is lost. Also, if the stock price is above the highest strike price at expiration, then all calls are in the money and the condor spread position has a net value of zero at expiration.

As a result, the full cost of the position including commissions is lost. There are two breakeven points. The lower breakeven point is the stock price equal to the lowest strike price plus the cost of the position including commissions. The upper breakeven point is the stock price equal to the highest strike price minus the cost of the position.

A long condor spread with calls realizes its maximum profit if the stock price is between the middle strike prices at expiration. The forecast, therefore, must be for neutral stock price action in the range of maximum profit. If the stock price is above or below the range of maximum profit when the position is established, then the forecast must be for a directional stock price move into the range of maximum profit.

A long condor spread with calls is the strategy of choice when the forecast is for stock price action in the range of maximum profit, which is between the middle strike prices of the spread.

Long condor spreads profit from time decay; but, unlike a short straddle or short strangle, the potential risk of a long condor spread is limited. The tradeoff is that a long condor spread has a much lower profit potential in dollar terms than a comparable short straddle or short strangle.

Also, the commissions for a condor spread are higher than for a straddle or strangle. Long condor spreads are sensitive to changes in volatility see Impact of Change in Volatility. The net price of a condor spread falls when volatility rises and rises when volatility falls. Consequently some traders buy condor spreads when they forecast that volatility will fall.

Since the volatility in option prices tends to fall sharply after earnings reports, some traders will buy a condor spread immediately before the report.

Success of this approach to buying condor spreads requires that the stock price stay between the lower and upper strikes price of the condor. If the stock price rises or falls too much, then a loss will be incurred. If volatility is constant, long condor spreads with calls do not rise in value and, therefore, do not show much of a profit, until it is very close to expiration and the stock is between the middle strike prices.

In contrast, short straddles and short strangles begin to show at least some profit early in the expiration cycle as long as the stock price does not move out of the profit range. Therefore, if the stock price begins to fall below the lowest strike price or to rise above the highest strike price, a trader must be ready to close out the position before a large percentage loss is incurred.

Patience and trading discipline are required when trading long condor spreads. E forex exchange rates is required because this strategy profits from time decay, and stock price action can be unsettling as it rises and falls around the center strike price as expiration approaches. Long calls have positive deltas, and short calls have negative deltas.

If the stock price is between the lowest and etrade currency exchange rate strike prices, then, regardless of time to expiration, the net delta of a long condor spread remains close to zero until a few days before expiration. If the stock price is below the lowest strike price in a long condor spread with calls, then the net delta is slightly positive. If the stock price is above the highest strike price, then the net delta is slightly negative.

Overall, a long condor spread with calls does not profit from stock price change; it profits from time decay as long as the stock price is between the breakeven points. Volatility is a measure of how much a stock price fluctuates in percentage terms, and volatility is a factor in option prices.

As volatility rises, option prices tend to rise if other factors such as stock price and time to expiration remain constant. Long options, therefore, rise in price and make money when volatility rises, and short options rise in price and lose money when volatility rises.

When volatility falls, the opposite happens; long options lose money and short options make money. Long condor spreads with calls have a negative vega. This means that the price of a long condor spread falls when volatility rises and the spread loses money. When volatility falls, the price of a long condor spread rises and the spread makes money.

This is known as time erosion. Long option positions have negative theta, which means they lose money from time erosion, if other factors remain constant; and short options have positive theta, which means they make money from time erosion. A long condor spread with calls has a net ruger mini 14 tactical stock conversion kit theta — it profits from time decay — as long as the stock price is in a range between the lowest and highest strike prices.

If the stock price moves out of this range, however, the theta becomes negative as expiration approaches. Stock options in the United States can be exercised forex illegal in bangladesh any business day, and holders of short stock option positions have no control forex trading course in pakistan when they will be required to fulfill the obligation.

Therefore, the risk of early assignment is a real risk that must be considered when entering into positions involving short short call condor options strategy. While the long calls in a long condor spread have no no.1 share broker in india of early assignment, the short calls do have such risk.

Early assignment of stock options is generally related to dividends. Short calls that are assigned early are generally assigned on the day before the ex-dividend date. In-the-money calls whose time value is less than the dividend have a high likelihood of being assigned.

If one short call is assigned most likely the lower-strike short callthen shares of stock are sold short and the long calls lowest and highest strike prices and the other short call remain open. If a short stock position is not wanted, it can be closed in one of two ways.

First, shares can be purchased in the marketplace. Second, the short share position can be closed by exercising the lowest-strike long call.

Remember, however, that data entry work from home jobs durban a long call will forfeit the time value of that call. Therefore, it is generally preferable to buy shares to nse bse trading holidays 2016 the short stock position and then sell the long call.

This two-part action recovers the time value of the long call. One caveat is commissions. Buying shares to cover the short stock position and then selling the forex mobile trading blackberry call is only advantageous if the commissions are less than the time value salle seforex the long call.

Invest in japan stock market both of the short calls are assigned, then shares of stock are sold short and the long calls lowest and highest strike prices remain open.

Again, if a short stock position is not wanted, it can be closed in one of two ways. Either shares can be purchased in the marketplace, or both long calls can be exercised. However, as discussed above, since exercising a long call forfeits the time value, it is generally preferable to buy shares to close the short stock position and then sell the long calls.

The caveat, as mentioned above, is commissions. Buying shares to cover the short stock position and then selling the long calls is only advantageous if the commissions are less than the time value forexarb forex arbitrage trading system the long calls.

Note, however, that whichever method is used, buying stock and selling the long call or exercising the long call, the date of the stock purchase will be one day later than the date of the short sale.

This difference will result in additional fees, including interest charges and commissions. Assignment of a short option might also trigger a margin call if there is not sufficient account equity to support the stock position created. The position at expiration of a long condor spread with calls depends on the relationship of the stock price to the strike prices of the spread.

If the stock price is below the lowest strike price, then all calls expire worthless, and no position is created. If the stock price is above the lowest strike and at or below the second-lowest strike, then the lowest strike long call is exercised, and the other three calls expire worthless.

The result is that shares of stock are purchased and a stock position of long shares is created. If the stock price is above the second-lowest strike and at or below the second-highest strike, then the lowest strike long call is exercised and the second-lowest strike short call is assigned. The result is that shares are purchased and shares are sold. The net result is no position, although one stock buy commission and one stock sell commission have been incurred.

If the stock price is above the second-highest strike and at or below the highest strike, then the lowest-strike long call is exercised, and both short calls are assigned.

The net result is a stock position of short shares. If the stock price is above the highest strike, then both long calls lowest and highest strikes are exercised and both short calls middle two strikes are assigned. The net result is no position, although two stock buy and sell commissions have been incurred.

A long condor spread with calls can also be described as the combination of a bull call spread and a bear call spread.

The bull call spread is the long lowest-strike call combined with the short second-lowest strike call, and the bear call spread is the short second-highest strike call combined with the long highest-strike call.

short call condor option strategy

A condor is a bird with an exceptionally long wing span for its body size. The horizontal line representing the range of maximum profit in the middle of the diagram looks vaguely like the body a condor and the horizontal lines stretching out above the highest strike and below the lowest strike look vaguely like the wings of a condor.

Short condor spread with calls. A short condor spread with calls is a four-part strategy that is created by selling one call at a lower strike price, buying one call with a higher strike price, buying another call with an even higher strike price and selling one more call with an even higher strike price.

Long condor spread with puts. A long condor spread with puts is a four-part strategy that is created by buying one put at a higher strike price, selling one put with a lower strike price, selling another put with an even lower strike price and buying one more put with an even lower strike price. Article copyright by Chicago Board Options Exchange, Inc CBOE. Reprinted with permission from CBOE. The statements and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. Fidelity Investments cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any statements or data.

Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options.

Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.

Charts, screenshots, company stock symbols and examples contained in this module are for illustrative purposes only. Customer Service Open An Account Refer A Friend Log In Customer Service Open An Account Refer A Friend Log Out. Send to Separate multiple email addresses with commas Please enter a valid email address. Your email address Please enter a valid email address. Example of long condor spread with calls Buy 1 XYZ 95 Call at 8. Buy 1 XYZ 95 Call at 8. Related Strategies Short condor spread with calls A short condor spread with calls is a four-part strategy that is created by selling one call at a lower strike price, buying one call with a higher strike price, buying another call with an even higher strike price and selling one more call with an even higher strike price.

Long condor spread with puts A long condor spread with puts is a four-part strategy that is created by buying one put at a higher strike price, selling one put with a lower strike price, selling another put with an even lower strike price and buying one more put with an even lower strike price.

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