Expiration Date
The last day a derivatives contract, such as an option or future, is valid. Before or on this day, traders decide what to do with their position.
Related terms
Last Trading Day
The final day you can trade or close out a derivatives position, one day prior to the contract’s expiration date. Once it passes, the derivative is no longer tradable and the settlement process begins, with delivery or cash settlement the following day.
Read full definitionOption Expiry Date
The precise date and time an option expires. The two most common expiries are 10:00am New York time (the NY cut) and 3:00pm Tokyo time (the Tokyo cut); these periods frequently see increased activity as option hedges unwind in the spot market.
Read full definitionMaturity Date
The date a debt instrument such as a note, draft or bond becomes due, as quoted on its certificate. It can also refer to the expiration date of futures and options contracts or the date an instalment loan must be fully repaid.
Read full definitionMore in Derivatives
Call Option
A financial contract giving the right, but not the obligation, to buy a market at a specified price within a specific time. The buyer of a call option can profit when the underlying market rises in price.
Read full definitionContract for Difference (CFD)
A financial contract in which you agree to exchange the difference in price between the opening and closing of a trade on a particular asset. CFDs enable traders to speculate on whether a market will rise or fall and profit from price movement without owning the underlying asset.
Read full definitionCurrency Futures
Exchange-traded contracts specifying the price at which a currency will be bought or sold and the date of the exchange; the holder at expiry is legally obliged to transact at the contracted price and date. Unlike privately negotiated, customisable forwards, futures are standardised, highly regulated and priced off a future potential market price rather than the current spot price.
Read full definitionDelta
A ratio comparing the change in an option’s price to the change in the price of its underlying asset. If an option’s delta is 0.50 and the underlying rises by $1 per share, the option’s price will rise by about $0.50 per share.
Read full definitionDerivative
A financial security whose value derives from one or more underlying assets. Common derivatives are futures, forwards, options and swaps; they are often traded over the counter, can be exchange-traded and are frequently leveraged.
Read full definitionFX Option
The right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell currency at a specified rate (the strike price) on or before a specific date. Options provide flexibility in currency hedging strategies.
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