CALL VS PUT: THE BASICS OF OPTIONS TRADING

When you open the Nifty or Sensex options chain, the screen splits into Calls on the left and Puts on the right. Calls are used by traders who expect the market to rise; Puts are used by those who expect a fall or want to protect capital. It looks like two teams lining up before the market’s next move. The key idea — and the catch — is how traders can still generate large profits when the index is moving sideways or only slightly up or down. We will explore that reason further in the topic

Stock market options chain data table showing call and put LTP across various strike prices.
Stock market options chain data table showing call and put LTP across various strike prices.

  • Options table: Strike, Call LTP, Put LTP, bid/ask summary.

  • Reference value (time of writing): Index = 23,777.

Call Side Options Overview

Clicking a call’s LTP opens a split order window showing Buy and Sell panels for immediate order entry. Refer to the image below for a visual example.