Margin on options arb/conversion

Discussion in 'Retail Brokers' started by UVXY20, Jan 10, 2024.

  1. UVXY20

    UVXY20

    At IB if I am long ABC at 100, write a call at 100 and buy a put at 95, my (portfolio) margin is, like 10 percent of the stock. At one or two other brokers I checked the margin is like 30% or 50%, perhaps because they don't offer PM. Are there other brokers out there (with low commissions) that offer this trade at 10% margin?
     
  2. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    It sounds like max loss is $5. I can't run a fake position. Only a real one. If you give me a real example of this with live strikes, I can run it and tell you the OCC requirement and the Wedbush/Lightspeed House requirement. I can't help you with IB. Trying ask them........

     
  3. Quanto

    Quanto

    Is it really independent of DTE ? Can't believe w/o seeing the details.
     
  4. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    Is DTE Days to expiration?

     
  5. Quanto

    Quanto

    Yes, of course.
     
  6. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    That is not a factor in the margin required in a PMA.
     
  7. Quanto

    Quanto

    Hmm. interesting.
     
  8. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    Portfolio Margin Accounts (PMA) are risk based and the OCC shocks the stock + options in each symbol to see the max loss over that shock. As an example, AAPL stock and all the AAPL options. What would you lose if the stock were to move 15% up or down. That loss is the OCC margin requirements, with some exceptions. One is there is a minimum requirement of $37.50/option even if there is no risk. Each Broker/Clearing firm has their own house rules creating a higher requirement to cover their risk. The OCC does not have a different requirement for volatile stocks vs more stable ones, but they require the member firms to be more restrictive for those that are more volatile.

     
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  9. Quanto

    Quanto

    Robert, how much would the PMA margin requirement be for this similar Collar trade (= CC + LP = LS + SC + LP) :
    LongStock: Price=100
    ShortCall: Strike=100, DTE=60, IV=250 (Premium=38.77)
    LongPut: Strike=95, DTE=60, IV=250 (Premium=35.35)
    PMA margin req = ... ?
     
  10. Robert Morse

    Robert Morse Sponsor

    I need real Stock symbols, real strikes, real expirations and expected size of each to run anything. I can't make up options. By the way, the other information is not relevant. If you provide a real life example, I will run it without the other stuff. E.G. +100 AAPL, + 2 AAPL Jan 19, 2024 puts etc....


     
    #10     Jan 10, 2024