What are Futures and Options in the Indian Stock Market?
When we talk about the Indian stock market, most people think of buying and selling shares. But there’s a whole other world called Derivatives Trading, and the two most common instruments in this segment are Futures and Options.
Let’s break them down in simple terms.
🔹 Futures Contracts
A Futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a specified quantity of an underlying (stock, index, commodity) at a pre-agreed price on a future date.
🔑 Key Characteristics:
Obligation: Both buyer and seller must honour the contract at expiry (or square off before).
Lot Size: Fixed (e.g., 75 shares for Nifty Futures).
Margins: Initial margin (5–15%) + possible mark-to-market (MTM) calls daily.
Settlement: Cash-settled for indices; physical delivery possible for stocks.
📘 Simple Example:
Today: Nifty at 22,000
You buy 1 Nifty Future lot at 22,050 (expiry in one month).
If Nifty closes at 22,300 on expiry, you gain (22,300 – 22,050) × lot size.
If it falls to 21,800, you incur the reverse.
🔹 Option Contracts
An Option gives you the Right, not the obligation, to buy (Call) or sell (Put) the underlying at a strike price before or on expiry.
Types of Options:
Call Option: Right to buy.
Put Option: Right to sell.
💰 Premium & Payoff:
You pay a premium up front (max loss = premium).
Payoff profiles:
Position
Breakeven
Profit Potential
Max Loss
Long Call
Strike + Premium
Unlimited upside
Premium paid
Long Put
Strike – Premium
Strike price level
Premium paid
Short Call (naked)
Strike + Premium
Premium received
Unlimited downside
Short Put (naked)
Strike – Premium
Premium received
Strike price level
📘 Example:
Buy a Reliance 2,500 CE at premium ₹40. If Reliance → ₹2,600, your profit = (2,600 – 2,500 – 40) × lot size. If ≤ 2,500, loss = ₹40 only.
🔍 Why F&O?
Leverage: Control a large notional value with a small margin.
Hedging: Lock in prices to protect your portfolio against sudden swings.
Flexibility: Profit in bullish, bearish or sideways markets.
📊 How to Read an F&O Chain
Expiry Date (every Thursday, weekly for some indices)
Strike Price (e.g., 22,000, 22,100…)
Premium (market price of that option)
OI (Open Interest) and Change in OI (liquidity and sentiment)
🔄 Popular Strategies (Simple & Effective)
Covered Call
Hold 100 shares; sell 1 Call against them.
Generate premium income; cap upside but cushion downside.
Protective Put
Hold shares; buy Put for downside protection.
Acts like an insurance premium.
Bull Call Spread
Buy lower-strike Call; sell higher-strike Call.
Lower cost, limited risk & reward.
Bear Put Spread
Buy higher-strike Put; sell lower-strike Put.
Profits if market falls, with limited outlay.
⚠️ Risk Management
Position Sizing: Never risk more than 2–3% of capital on one trade.
Stop-Loss / Stop-Profit: Pre-define your exit points.
Margin Utilization: Track MTM. Keep extra funds to meet margin calls.
Volatility Watch: IV spikes raise premiums; deflate your strategy’s edge.
सारांश:
Futures = commitment; Options = choice.
Leverage magnifies both gains and losses—trade with discipline.
Strategies exist for every view (bullish, bearish, neutral).
Risk control (stop-loss, position sizing) is non-negotiable.
F&O trading involves high risk and is not suitable for everyone. While the potential for profit is attractive, losses can be equally significant—especially when using leverage. Always educate yourself thoroughly, use proper risk management, and avoid trading with borrowed money or emotional decisions. It's better to start small, stay informed, and trade only what you can afford to lose.