How does trading options differ from trading stocks?

@daniela 

Trading options differs from trading stocks in several ways:

1. Objectives: While stock trading is primarily focused on buying and selling company shares with the goal of profiting from price movements, options trading involves the purchase and sale of options contracts. Options traders use these contracts to speculate on price movements, hedge their existing positions, or generate income.
2. Ownership: Buying a stock means owning a share in the underlying company. However, options trading does not involve ownership of the underlying asset. Instead, options provide the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the underlying asset at a predetermined price within a specific time frame.
3. Risk: In stock trading, the maximum risk is usually limited to the amount invested. Conversely, options trading carries higher levels of risk as options prices can fluctuate more significantly than the underlying stock. Option buyers can lose their entire investment if the option expires worthless, while option sellers have unlimited risk if the market moves against them.
4. Leverage: Options trading offers traders the ability to control a larger position in the underlying asset with a smaller investment, known as leverage. This leverage can amplify gains, but also increase losses. In stock trading, one typically buys shares in the open market without leverage.
5. Time Sensitivity: Options have an expiration date, after which they become worthless. This time sensitivity puts additional pressure on options traders to be correct in their market predictions within a specific timeframe. Stockholders, on the other hand, are not restricted by a specific timeline and can hold the stock indefinitely.
6. Complexity: Trading options can be more complex than trading stocks due to the various factors affecting option prices, including underlying stock price, strike price, time to expiration, implied volatility, and interest rates. Understanding these factors and their impact on options pricing requires more knowledge and experience compared to stock trading.

It's important for individuals interested in trading options to thoroughly educate themselves about the market and associated strategies before initiating any trades.