Covered Write

Front Month contracts are options contracts that have the least amount of time remaining before expiration. For example, on the 1st of August, the front month contract would the contract that expires in the Month of August. Similarly, on August 31st, the front month contract is the September contract is the front month contract because…

The option writer is obligated—if and when assigned an exercise—to perform according to the terms of the option. The option writer is sometimes referred to as the option seller. An option writer who has been assigned an exercise is known as an assigned writer. Example:If a physical delivery XYZ call option is exercised by the…

A block trade is, as the name suggests, a single large order that hits the Unusual Options Activity Tape all at once.  A Sweep is a large order that is broken up and hits the tape in many different small orders.  Here is an example of Block Trade:  And here is an example of a…

This is the process of satisfying put exercise or call assignment. In either case, stock is delivered. In the case of indexes, delivery involves the transfer of cash equal to the settlement value of the index minus the strike price of the options contract. See also: Options Assignment, Automatic Exercise, American Style Option

When an option seller or writer receives an exercise notice, assignment has occurred. When assigned, writers must deliver the goods (shares or cash). For example, let’s say you sold 1 AAPL 145.00 CALL and the buyer decides to exercise the contract at expiration because AAPL is now trading at 146, you would need to deliver…

Order Flow is basically the study of the way a stock reacts to the limit or market orders that are placed at certain price levels.  When it comes to Unusual Options Activity, the order flow principles are the same, in that you want to pay attention to how the Option price, and the price of…