Credit default swap Forwards Futures Options Swaps which is most best? meaning comparing the different products which one is better for hedging in the idea of reducing my losses when i am in a long position and the trend goes short commission charges holding fees time etc safety risk-counter party risk stocks I buy are the regular stocks such as Disney and Activision blizzard these are the examples I only know. initial deposit needed for futures top up needed when account value reaches less than a preset value
If you're a retail investor, which I believe you are, then you cannot buy CDS or interest rate swaps. These are so-called insurance only available to the institutions. Forward swaps and futures are essentially the same, except the former is settled at the end of the contract whereas the latter is marked-to-market at the closing daily price. Options, well, you can look that up on the web. As far as hedging your bet goes, unless you are actually taking delivery of the underlying commodity like wheat or crude oil, it's far better that you simply close out your losing trade. That's Investing 101.
If I were to hedge I would just spread stocks. For example, if you like trading Activision Blizzard, you could simultaneously short EA or NTES against it.
If you're trading stocks like DIS & ATVI the simplest and least expensive hedge would have been options: long puts or short calls.... I say would have been because a hedge is insurance...which is best purchased BEFORE a loss. And if you're gonna play options trust, they're not like stock so prime yourself with a little Natenburg before jumping in. All the best with your trading.
There is no easy answer to your question. The answer depends on your goals, on current vol levels, on the desired level of upside you would like to maintain, etc. etc. The ability to answer comes from years of experience and a study of the pros/cons of each medium.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Good answers. Say he[mr qas] is long-term buyer QQQ, 7 shares, learning to invest; i wouldnt have a problem with him buying 1 share of SQQQ, as a hedge.NOT investment advice,or perfect hedge, simply educational remarks. Even though you may want to sell QQQ in a bear market; i see SQQQ[short qqq] is going up 7/+% today, ibd CHART[investors.com] + above 50dma................................Another reason its not a perfect hedge, SQQ is for trading NOT investing