Online trading major IG is offering weekly equity options on the platform for some stocks during earnings season. This means that traders do not have to call the broker if they want to trade certain equity options.

This week it’s Netflix. IG is also offering Tesla but that will stay on the platform going forward whereas the weekly options will change depending on the particular week of the earnings season.

Equity options are a form of derivative used exclusively to trade shares as the underlying asset. In essence, equity options work in an extremely similar way to other options, such as Forex or commodities. They offer the trader the right, but not the obligation, to purchase (or sell) a set amount of shares at a certain level (referred to as the ‘strike price’) before it expires. To buy an option, traders will pay a premium.

These equity options will be available in the main session (14:30 – 21:00 UK time). Traders can find them under ‘Weekly US Equity options’ on the left list on IG’s web platform.

In December 2020, IG said it was testing online trading for share options. And, speaking of IG’s offering, let’s note that IG has recently expanded its lineup of extended-hours stocks. The additions to IG’s All Session US shares offering include:

• NIO Inc – ADR;
• Peloton Interactive Inc;
• Zoom Video Communications Inc;
• Beyond Meat Inc;
• Airbnb Inc.