Product Specifications: Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
Description
Exchange traded fund options are standardized put and call options on underlying exchange traded funds (ETFs). ETFs are securities representing ownership in portfolios of stocks or bonds designed with an objective to generally correspond to the price and yield performance of individual indexes.
Trading Unit
The minimum trade size is one option contract. Each contract represents 100 shares of the underlying ETF. (Corporate actions, such as rights offerings,stock dividends, and mergers, can result in adjusted contracts representing something other than 100 shares of stock.)
Expiration Cycle
Two consecutive near term expiration months plus two successive months from the January, February or March cycle.
Expiration
The Saturday following the third Friday of the expiration month.
Last Trading Day
The last business day prior to expiration (normally a Friday).
Exercising Options
American style. Options may be exercised on any business day prior to expiration.
Delivery Method if Exercised
Exercise notices properly tendered on any business day will result in the delivery of the underlying ETF on the third business day following exercise.
Exercise Price Intervals
Exercise (strike) prices are set at $1.00 intervals bracketing the current value of the underlying ETF.
Option Premium Quotations
Stated in dollars and cents. Minimum price variant $0.05 (nickel) for series trading under $3.00 and $0.10 (dime) for series trading $3.00 and above.
Settlement of Exercise
Three business days following exercise.
Minimum Customer Margin for Uncovered Writers
100% of the market value of the option plus 20% of the value of the underlying security less any out-of-the-money amount, subject to a minimum of 100% of the market value of the option plus 10% of the value of the underlying security. Margin and commission may vary between brokerage firms. There are risks associated with margin trading.
Trading Hours
EFT options will trade the same hours as the underlying ETF. For most ETFs, this is 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. For certain broad based ETFs, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time.
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