← Learn/Options Trading
🎯

CE & PE Basics

Chapter 1 of 5

An option gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying asset at a fixed price (the strike price) before or on a specific date (expiry). In India, options are European-style — exercisable only at expiry.

CE vs PE at a Glance
FeatureCall Option (CE)Put Option (PE)
Right gives youRight to BUY at strikeRight to SELL at strike
Profitable whenUnderlying RISES above strikeUnderlying FALLS below strike
You buy whenBullish on market/stockBearish on market/stock
Seller's viewNeutral to bearishNeutral to bullish
Premium behaviourRises with underlyingFalls with underlying
Exercise at expiryIf spot > strike (CE)If spot < strike (PE)
💡Option Premium — What You Pay
When you buy a CE or PE, you pay a premium. This is the market price of the option contract. For Nifty, if a 22,000 CE trades at ₹150, and the lot size is 25, you pay ₹150 × 25 = ₹3,750 total. This is your maximum loss as a buyer — no matter what happens, you can't lose more than your premium.
Option = Insurance
Think of a Put Option like car insurance. You pay a small premium (cost). If something goes wrong (market falls), you get compensated. If nothing happens, you lose only the premium. The "insurance company" is the option seller.
NSE Stock Options: Physical Delivery
Stock options are physically settled from expiry (like stock futures). Deep ITM options near expiry can result in delivery obligations. Index options (Nifty, BankNifty) are always cash-settled.