“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.” This old adage refers to the idea that it is impossible for anyone to get something for nothing. Even if something is free, someone somewhere is paying for it. However, investors have the choice to either accept a price or not, that is why we have limit orders. Imagine if...
Before implementing a covered call writing strategy, investors need to consider several factors in order to make an informed decision. This final article in a series of four articles on covered call writing will discuss the choice of a strike price for a call option as a compromise between the desired level of protection and...
With interest rates currently at all-time lows, finding ways to generate income in our security portfolios is a challenge. However, the strategy of writing covered call options (WCCO), whether applied systematically or on an ad hoc basis, allows us to generate additional income through the premiums received. This is the third...
Let us say you are willing to sell some securities in your portfolio, or you are considering it. Adopting the covered call writing strategy is like getting paid for making a commitment to sell the securities. This is the second in a series of four articles on covered call writing. It discusses how to use this strategy as an...
Perhaps you would like to start using options, but you do not know which strategy to implement. The simplest and most popular strategy among individual and institutional investors is covered call writing. This article is the first in a series of four articles on covered call writing. It covers the basic features of this...
With interest rates at historic lows, it is unlikely that the Bank of Canada will decide to raise the policy rate anytime soon. But we live in a world that is full of surprises, and things can change quickly. Events with the most unexpected repercussions can and do occur (the current pandemic comes to mind). Who really knows...
Just as a follow up to our block trade on Canada Goose Holdings Inc (GOOS) from November 14, 2019, the January 17, 2020 $46 strike call options have expired worthless, since the stock traded out-of-the money at market close. Effectively, we have captured the full option premium of $4.31/share and our cost is now reduced to...
Key facts on covered calls This strategy consists of writing a call that is covered by an equivalent long stock position. It represents a simple way for investors to manage their short-term risk exposure, allowing them to earn premium income (i.e. the money received from writing the calls) in return for part of the stock’s...
As the following graph shows, shares in the Bank of Montreal (BMO) has been in correction territory since falling below the 13 and 34-day moving averages. The stock’s last rally toward $101 is similar to one near the end of November 2018, just before the stock plummeted by almost 14% in the space of a few weeks. Furthermore,...
As can be seen in the following chart, the share price of ONEX Corporation (ONEX) has been weak enough to suggest that some caution may be necessary. The Relative Strength Index (RSI), which was recently in oversold territory, is trending downward. The same is true of the stochastic oscillator (%K). Although the scope of the...