The Options Applications Handbook offers a lucid, down-to-earth introduction to the fundamentals of options, explaining how options can be used for various purposes, such as options on exchange rates, interest rates, stocks, futures, and fixed-income securities.

With the help of this on-target guide, readers will be able to understand basic option types…use standard market terminology…grasp the costs, benefits, and risks of basic option positions…identify key factors that affect the price of an option…and see how pricing models have been modified for specialized options. The Options Applications Handbook covers in detail:

Conventional Options_focuses on the mechanics of call and put options,
basic option payoff profiles, and the creation of synthetic options/assets

Exotic Options_explores second generation option contracts, such as path
dependent options and path independent derivatives, that build on the basic
structure of conventional options

Option-Embedded Securities_demonstrates how flexible options can be
embedded in securities to build customized funding/risk/investment tools

Option-Embedded Derivatives_illustrates how options can be combined
with other derivatives to create customized risk/investment products, such
as callable and puttable swaps

Option Strategies_describes how options can be used in combinations to
create risk management and speculative views on a particular reference
asset

Corporate and Investor Applications_examines how to utilize options
for hedging, speculating, arbitraging, and value monetization

An Overview of Option Pricing_surveys basic pricing matters, including
intrinsic and time value, moneyness, and pricing inputs
_ Option Pricing Models_outlines option pricing frameworks, such as the
Black-Scholes process and the binomial model

Hedging Option Portfolios_discusses how market-makers and dealers
risk-manage their portfolios in practice

Risk and Control Issues_considers option risk control, including credit
and market portfolio risk management and internal financial and audit
processes

The Options Applications Handbook offers a lucid, down-to-earth introduction to the fundamentals of options, explaining how options can be used for various purposes, such as options on exchange rates, interest rates, stocks, futures, and fixed-income securities. <P>With the help of this on-target guide, readers will be able to understand basic option types...use standard market terminology...grasp the costs, benefits, and risks of basic option positions...identify key factors that affect the price of an option...and see how pricing models have been modified for specialized options. The Options Applications Handbook covers in detail: Conventional Options_focuses on the mechanics of call and put options, basic option payoff profiles, and the creation of synthetic options/assets Exotic Options_explores second generation option contracts, such as path dependent options and path independent derivatives, that build on the basic structure of conventional options Option-Embedded Securities_demonstrates how flexible options can be embedded in securities to build customized funding/risk/investment tools Option-Embedded Derivatives_illustrates how options can be combined with other derivatives to create customized risk/investment products, such as callable and puttable swaps Option Strategies_describes how options can be used in combinations to create risk management and speculative views on a particular reference asset Corporate and Investor Applications_examines how to utilize options for hedging, speculating, arbitraging, and value monetization An Overview of Option Pricing_surveys basic pricing matters, including intrinsic and time value, moneyness, and pricing inputs _ Option PricingModels_outlines option pricing frameworks, such as the Black-Scholes process and the binomial model Hedging Option Portfolios_discusses how market-makers and dealers risk-manage their portfolios in practice Risk and Control Issues_considers option risk control, including credit and

Providing an intuitive approach to options, this easyto-follow guide shows you how to use optionsfor various purposes, such as on stocks or futures orembedded in fixed income securities. The authorsintroduce both the binomial and the Black-Scholespricing models, explain the payoff profiles of basicoption positions, and outline the major ways optionsare used by investors and financial institutions, especiallyin conjunction with capital market products.

Erik Banks is chief risk officer at a multi-strategy hedge fund and has been active in the banking sector for 20 years. Erik has held senior risk management position at Merrill Lynch, XL Capital, and Citibank in New York, Tokyo, London, and Hong Kong, and has written 20 books on derivatives, risk, emerging markets, and merchant banking.

Paul Siegel is Chief Executive Officer of The Globecon Group, a specialized banking and financial services professional development, conference, and publishing firm operating in the capital markets, credit, risk, corporation finance, and wealth management markets.