Hello all, I'm wondering which broker is cheapest to trade ES futures options. I like TDA because they have TOS platform. But want to know if they charge exercise and assignment at expiration? or who offer the best in term of margin and/or commission? also does the ES weekly options expire and settle in cash or will there be actual assignment into ES futures contracts? I assume not, but I'm unsure. any feedbacks are appreciated.
All FCMs charge upon exercise if it occurs. Weekly and OEM (end of the month), to the best of my knowledge, are based on European Style Expiration. This means that they will only be automatically exercised only on expiration date if the options are determined to be "in the money" based on CME criteria.
ES FOPS expire into cash, excepting the Quarterly which expires into the front future. (I think. You'll have to check on Monday.)
Thank you guys. Just to be clear. 1. OTM options long or short at expiration will be abandoned 2. ITM options long or short at expiration will be assigned or exercised automatically. so tommcginnis, you mentioned it will expire in cash. Are you saying that my ITM options long or short will be credited the profit in term of cash instead of getting assigned the actual underlying futures contracts? Because I really don't want to get assigned a futures contract whatsoever. Also with this automatic assignment/exercise, will a broker charge a fee? and if so which broker has the lower exercise/assignment fee on ES FOPS?
Some questions -- particularly those with ready answers via a search engine or from your own account/platform -- are best answered by those posing them, to find the best information, and to learn *where/how* to find that information. (I think I put that well.)
How about calling them all and letting us know? What you think we spend all day to see who charges pennies or dollars cheaper?