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CFDs are leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your deposits, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. CFDs are leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your deposits, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

Straddle definition

What is a straddle in trading?

A straddle in trading is a type of options strategy, which enables traders to speculate on whether a market is about to become volatile without having to predict a specific price movement. It involves either buying or selling simultaneous call and put options with matching strike prices and expiration dates.

Learn how to trade CFDs on options

With CFDs on options*, you can trade on the future price of a financial market.

What does the price of a straddle tell traders?

The price of a straddle is the cost of buying two options – it tells traders about the volatility anticipated in a financial market. It also gives information about the expected trading range in the period leading up to the option’s expiration date. There are two ways in which traders can use a straddle, namely a long straddle and a short straddle.

  • A long straddle returns a profit if the underlying asset undergoes a significant price movement, and involves buying matching call and put options
  • A short straddle returns a profit if the underlying asset fails to undergo a significant price movement, and involves selling matching call and put options

Example of straddle in trading

Let’s say that you believe Tesla’s earnings are going to have a major impact on its stock price, and so buy CFDs on call and put options at the same strike price. Both expire 24 hours after the earnings announcement.

If Tesla shares move significantly higher above the strike price, you have the CFDs on call option, which enables you to buy the shares at a lower strike price. If Tesla shares move significantly lower below the strike price, you have the CFDs on put option and can sell these shares at a higher strike price for a profit. At expiry, an overall profit is realised if the total move in Tesla shares is greater than the sum paid for the CFDs on call and put option.

However, if Tesla’s earnings fail to make much impact on its share listings and the move does not exceed the premium paid, you will realise a loss on the long straddle at the CFDs on option’s expiry. In this instance, placing a short straddle would have enabled you to collect two premiums with minimal payback to the option holder, thereby realising a profit at the CFDs option’s expiry.

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* Trading CFDs on options with IG is an opt-in feature. To activate the feeds, you will need to get in touch with us through your registered email address by emailing us at helpdesk@ig.com.sg or call us at +65 6390 5118.

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