What happens when an option expires at the strike price?

When the strike price is reached, your contract is essentially worthless on the expiration date (since you can purchase the shares on the open market for that price). With the market tumbling, you can choose not to exercise your option but instead sell it to capture whatever premium remains.

What happens when a call option expires below strike price?

A call option has no value if the underlying security trades below the strike price at expiry. You can sell the option to lock in the value, or exercise the option to buy the shares (if holding calls) or sell the shares (if holding puts). Check with your broker to see how in-the-money options are handled at expiration.

What happens if my buy call option expires in the money?

You buy call options to make money when the stock price rises. If your call options expire in the money, you end up paying a higher price to purchase the stock than what you would have paid if you had bought the stock outright. You are also out the commission you paid to buy the option and the option’s premium cost.

What happens when my call expires?

When a call option expires in the money… The buyer of the call option has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase 100 shares of stock at the strike price of the call option. The seller of a call option that expires in the money is required to sell 100 shares of the stock at the option’s strike price.

Do call options expire at the end of the day?

Every option contract has a specific expiration date, and time. The time of expiration can be either in the morning (a.m.) or in the afternoon (p.m.). Options that expire at the close of the market are considered p.m. and options that expire the morning of the last trading day are a.m.

Why do options expire on Wednesdays?

You will not be able to enter into new long positions in stock options in the last two days of expiry (i.e. Wednesday and Thursday) since the contracts can become due for physical settlement. Since stock options can be illiquid, it becomes difficult to exit the contract and increases the risk for the brokerage firm.