Discussing the article: "Trading Options Without Options (Part 1): Basic Theory and Emulation Through Underlying Assets"

 

Check out the new article: Trading Options Without Options (Part 1): Basic Theory and Emulation Through Underlying Assets.

The article describes a variant of options emulation through an underlying asset implemented in the MQL5 programming language. The pros and cons of the chosen approach are compared with real exchange options using the example of the FORTS futures market of the MOEX Moscow exchange and the Bybit crypto exchange.

The financial instrument called an option is attracting increasing interest among market participants. Suffice to say that over the past few years, when the Moscow Exchange (MOEX) has held a competition among private investors, options traders have consistently won prizes in the futures section of the competition.

The mathematical theory of options is relatively complex and non-trivial to understand and calculate manually, but there are a fairly large number of so-called option calculators — programs that allow us to calculate any combination of options. Typically, a set of options with different parameters (option combinations) is traded. But more about this in the following articles.

The article describes the emulation of options through buying/selling the underlying asset. This method allows us to create (emulate) a synthetic option with any desired parameters (including one that does not exist on the real market). For example, we might create such an exotic instrument as an option on an option or an option on a spread and other types of real or synthetic underlying assets.


Author: Dmitriy Skub

 

It's a good article.

But!

You:

  • Is effective with proper risk management.

And how to calculate the risks?

Yes and MT 5 doesn't have a lot of data.....

 
prostotrader #:

It's a good article.

But!

You:

  • Are effective when the risks are properly managed.

And how do you calculate the risks?

And MT 5 doesn't have a lot of data...

Thank you. Mikhail, you know yourself - when there is no data, you have to work with a reserve, reducing efficiency. There will be a further article on specific robots.
 
Dmitriy Skub #:
Thank you. Mikhail, you know yourself - when there is no data, you have to work with a reserve, reducing efficiency. There will be a further article on specific robots.

Unfortunately, MT5 as it is now is practically not suitable for trading on the MOEX futures section.

Emulation, creation of synthetic instruments implies the use of more than one instrument, hence for correct work with pairs (portfolio) you need to use more than one instrument.

with pairs (portfolio) requires a good speed of trade orders execution. And you yourself know how MT5 can slow down

 
prostotrader #:

Unfortunately MT5 as it is now is practically not suitable for trading on the MOEX Derivatives Section.

Emulation, creation of synthetic instruments, implies the use of more than one instrument, therefore for correct work

with pairs (portfolio) requires a good speed of trade orders execution. And you yourself know how MT5 can slow down

I do not agree here. It's already past - in the late O... I traded hft and had 300-350% annual net profit. And when the exchange cancelled fines, I thought that "paradise" on Earth has descended. Yes, there were "glitches", but without them it would be completely boring.

So, the speed limiter here is obviously not MT5, but someone else. Or something else. I won't specify, as it's already offtopic. I have tried almost all ready-made platforms and I claim that MT5 is the best. Of the ready-made ones.

 
Thank you very much for your knowledge! As soon as there will be more money I will connect options to trading....
The article is great! Smoking the topic. Looking forward to continue delving into the specifics of option designs and trading examples!!! Including the use of surface option volatility.... ) If I understand correctly there is such a thing..... )
 
Roman Shiredchenko #:
Thank you very much for your knowledge! As soon as there will be more money I will connect options to trading....
The article is great! Smoking the topic. Looking forward to continue delving into the specifics of option designs and trading examples!!! Including the use of surface option volatility.... ) If I understand correctly there is such a thing..... )

Thanks. By the way, this directly applies to your topic - spread trading. What I am currently testing on the "triple" is exactly an option construction.

 
Dmitriy Skub #:

Thank you. By the way, this is directly related to your topic - spread trading. What I am testing now on the "triple" is exactly an option construction.

I see. It seems to use the option volatility surface - it's just something I read somewhere.... )
Which overvalued to sell them... it's just for information....
 
Roman Shiredchenko #:
I got it. There's kinda using the option volatility surface - it's just something I read somewhere..... )
Which are overvalued to sell them... this is just for information.....

Roman, the surface has nothing to do with it. Practically.

 

As I understand it, the idea is that when the price moves in a favourable direction, the volume is constantly added to the total position, and when the price moves in an unfavourable direction, the position is reduced. This is relevant for buying Put and Call options.

But, as I understand, in addition to the overhead costs associated with the commission, there will be much higher CS costs than when buying an option, especially if it is far out of the money at the time of purchase. And, smooth rebalancing requires a decent volume of virtual options, as emulating 1-10 is simply not possible in acceptable increments.

The issue of optimisation is the most profitable price step frequency for a particular instrument.

It would be good to make a real comparison of the costs of a real option and a virtual option that was in the money at expiry and one that was out of the money.

 
Aleksey Vyazmikin #:

As I understand it, the idea is that when the price moves in a favourable direction, the volume is constantly added to the total position, and when the price moves in an unfavourable direction, the position is reduced. This is relevant for buying Put and Call options.

But, as I understand, in addition to the overhead costs associated with the commission, there will be much higher CS costs than when buying an option, especially if it is far out of the money at the time of purchase. And, a smooth rebalancing requires a decent volume of virtual options, as emulating 1-10 is simply not possible in acceptable increments.

The issue of optimisation is the most profitable price step frequency for a particular instrument.

It would be good to make a real comparison of the costs of a real option and a virtual option that was in the money at expiry and one that was out of the money.

The number of steps is dictated by BA parameters - min lot/min lot change. It will not work arbitrarily.

The GO will be higher as a rule. But it doesn't matter - if you can easily buy/sell a ready-made option, emulation is unnecessary. The choice here is either not to trade options at all, or through emulation. Again, again, for BAs for which options are not available in principle.