Option Symbols

Option Symbols is Options referred to in codes both spoken among brokers and clients in and listings where they may appear. The recognizable components in the Option Symbols are the underlying stock symbol (which may vary with NASDAQ stocks), followed by the expiration month (which is a put or a call option based on its code), which is then followed by the striking price.

More specifically, in other words to the Option Symbols : first comes the stock abbreviation, which is appended by a period and a two letter code -- the first of the two letters standing for the month (coded as a either call or a put) and the second letter of the two referring to the striking price by Option Symbols .

Option Symbols

For example:

Apple Computer	November Call	$65
AAQ	K	M

Would be:AAQ.KM

Expiration Month Symbols
month	call	put
January	A	M
February	B	N
March	C	O
April	D	P
May	E	Q
June	F	R
July	G	S
August	H	T
September	I	U
October	J	V
November	K	W
December	L	X

Strike Price Symbols
standard strike price				code
5	105	205	305	A
10	110	210	310	B
15	115	215	315	C
20	120	220	320	D
25	125	225	325	E
30	130	230	330	F
35	135	235	335	G
40	140	240	340	H
45	145	245	345	I
50	150	250	350	J
55	155	255	355	K
60	160	260	360	L
65	165	265	365	M
70	170	270	370	N
75	175	275	375	O
80	180	280	380	P
85	185	285	385	Q
90	190	290	390	R
95	195	295	395	S
100	200	300	400	T
non- standard strike price				code
7 1/2				U
12 1/2				V
17 1/2				W
22 1/2				X
27 1/2				Y
33				Z

Option symbols consist of a two or three-letter base symbol for the underlying stock plus strike information. Strike information includes expiration month, strike price, and whether the option is a put or call.

Any Option symbols, commodity symbols or futures symbols displayed are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to portray a recommendation.There is a substantial risk of loss in trading futures and options.