Charles Schwab (SCHW) Options Chain and Prices

The option chain helps investors and traders analyze and trade options. It provides valuable information on contract prices, implied volatility, open interest, and more, aiding in strategy development, risk management, and decision-making.

Call options are financial derivatives that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy the underlying stock at a predetermined price (strike price) within a specific time frame (expiration date).

Put options are financial derivatives that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to sell the underlying stock at a predetermined price (strike price) within a specific time frame (expiration date).

Strike prices in an option chain are predetermined price levels at which an option can be exercised. They are typically set at regular intervals above and below the current market price of the underlying stock.

Open interest represents the total number of outstanding option contracts in the market. It indicates the level of liquidity and market participation for a specific option contract. Higher open interest generally suggests greater liquidity and potential trading opportunities.

When analyzing an option chain, important factors to consider include implied volatility, volume and open interest, strike prices relevant to your trading strategy, expiration dates, and the relationship between option premiums and the underlying stock's price.

Trading options directly from the option chain page is not typically possible on financial portals. However, the option chain serves as a valuable tool to gather information and make informed trading decisions. Actual option trades are usually executed through a brokerage platform.

The option chain data is updated regularly throughout the trading day to reflect the latest market information. It captures real-time changes in option prices, volume, open interest, and other relevant metrics.

An "At The Money" (ATM) straddle is a specific type of options trading strategy that involves simultaneously buying a call option and a put option with the same strike price and expiration date.
The term "at the money" refers to the situation when the strike price of the options is the same as the current market price of the underlying asset. Traders implement this strategy when they expect a significant price movement in the underlying asset but are uncertain about the direction of this movement. The trader profits if the price moves significantly either up or down, covering the total cost of both the call and put options.
While the potential profit for an ATM straddle is theoretically unlimited (since the price of the underlying asset could rise or fall indefinitely), the risk is limited to the total premium paid for both the call and the put options. However, if the price of the underlying asset remains close to the strike price as the expiration date approaches, both options could expire worthless, and the trader would lose the entire premium paid for the straddle. This strategy is therefore best used in volatile markets or in anticipation of a major news event that is expected to cause significant price movement.