Why is my options price not moving?

The buyer of a call option has the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a stock, commodity, bond, or other asset or instrument from the option seller at a predetermined price and within a predetermined time frame. The underlying asset is the stock, bond, or commodity itself. When the price of the underlying rises, the buyer of the call benefits.

The opposite of a call option is a put option, which grants the holder the right to sell the underlying asset at a predetermined price until the option's expiration date.

The payoff in an option trade is the amount of money the buyer or seller of the option receives as a result of the exchange. Remember that the strike option price, expiration date, and premium are the three most important factors when analysing a stock call option. The value of these variables determines the amount of money made through option payouts.

Some investors use covered call strategies to profit from stock call options. In this tactic, you'll hold the shares, and also sell to another party, the right to buy those shares, by writing an option. The option premium is retained by the investor expecting the option to expire without value (below strike price). While this method does increase the investor's income, it can also reduce gains if the underlying stock price surges.

Why is my call option not moving?

The implied volatility (IV) of an underlying asset is a significant component in determining an option's value. Those just entering the world of options trading frequently fail to comprehend this fully.

If it isn't properly considered, it can potentially result in unpleasant surprises.

The opportunity to take long positions on equities with a lower financial outlay than would be needed to buy the stock outright is a significant draw for novice options traders. Although they understand the time risk associated with the option's expiration date, they consider options to be the same as purchasing shares.

Of course, that is not at all the case. Changes in implied volatility can have an impact on the price of an option that is comparable to, if not greater than, that of the difference in the underlying stock price.

That's why an options trader could be buying a call and seeing the stock price rising, and yet, at the end of the day, recording a loss. That’s thanks to the underlying asset's implied volatility.

An option's premium is proportional to the implied volatility of the underlying asset. This is often referred to as a "volatility premium." In option pricing, implied volatility refers to the likelihood of large price swings in the future. Call and put option values would revert to their intrinsic value ― the difference between the stock price and the strike price ― if it were known that the stock would trade at the same price every day until expiration. On the other hand, if volatility increases, the option's future value may rise.

Understanding the basics of Call Options

The holder of a call option has the right, until the option's expiration date, to purchase the shares of the company at the option's strike price (exercise price).

Simply put, a long call option is a regular option in which the buyer has the future right but not the obligation to purchase a stock at the option's specified strike option price. Purchasing a long call option is one strategy for profiting from the expectation that a stock price will rise in response to an upcoming noteworthy event, such as an earnings call. A long option's potential gain is unlimited, but its possible loss is restricted to the option's premium. As the price of the stock increases, the call option premium increases as well which can help the trader earn a profit.

The reverse of a long option is a short option. An investor commits to selling shares at a future date and time at a predetermined strike price by selling a short option. Covered call, in which the options seller already holds the underlying stock, is the most common use case for short call option. If the deal does not go their way, the call will help limit the potential losses.

Traders can make use of a call option calculator in order to ascertain the possible value of the option contract with changes in the price of the underlying.

When doesn’t the call option move?

There must be buying and selling activity for the price of a stock or contract to change. If there is no fluctuation in the option's worth, then no trades occur. Checking the Last Traded Time  (LTT) is an excellent way to see when a particular instrument was last traded.

The LTT indicates the most recent buy or sell date for a given share or contract.

Some points to remember

The Last Traded Price (LTP) may not change even though the bid and offer prices have changed. In this case, you'll need to consult the LTT. You can buy or sell something at a price indicated by the bid and offer prices. The market depth window shows the highest and lowest five bid and ask prices.

Until transactions take place, the charts for a given options contract will show dashes, and not candles. Remember that the charts only record the LTP, regardless of whether the bid or offer prices for the contract are changing. Therefore, until an LTP is available for this contract, it will display dashes. Consequently, you should look at the LTT.

Calculating option values 

You can determine how much money you'll make by using a call option calculator by comparing the current market price to the strike price plus the premium. To illustrate, let's pretend you're considering purchasing a call stock option with a strike price of Rs 30/share and a premium of Re 1 at a time when the prevailing market price is Rs 30. The premium is Re 1 per share, which you invest.

If the stock rises from Rs 30 to Rs 35 after you exercise the option, you will pay the Rs 30 strike price and then sell the shares for Rs 35. If the option's value is Rs 5 per share, and the premium is Re 1 per share, your profit is Rs 4 per share. 

A put option functions similar to an option but in the reverse direction.

If the options contract has a net value when you buy it, you can calculate the net gain in value. When the strike price and market price are different, call and put options can be issued and exchanged on an options exchange. In such a circumstance, you'll need to fork out the premium in addition to the option's intrinsic value. To make money, the underlying asset's price must rise (or fall, in the case of put options) by more than your option's strike price.

FAQs

Q. Was there any movement in options calls post-market hours?

Options are not traded after market hours. However, due to theta decay and other overnight events, the options premium can be significantly affected in the next trading session.

Q. What will happen if a call option is not sold before it expires?

You are not obliged to follow through on an option deal. Consequently, if the contract is not performed before the end date, it will automatically terminate. When an option is not exercised, the seller keeps the premium you paid to acquire it.

Q. What factors contribute to a rise in the price of a call option?

The value of an option mirrors the stock's price movement very closely, though not precisely. The likelihood is that the price of an option will increase, and the cost of a put option will decrease, when the stock price rises and falls, respectively.