Expiration Friday

The expiration date for three types of standardized contracts: stock options, stock index futures, and index options. Expiration Friday occurs four times a year, on the third Friday in the last month of each quarter. Investors often unwind their positions on these contracts on or immediately before expiration Fridays, which leads to increased trading volume and price volatility on those days.

expiration Friday

The Friday once each quarter when stock index futures, index options, and stock options simultaneously expire. Investors tend to close out positions in futures, options, and stocks on expiration Friday with the result being extremely volatile prices on this day. See also triple witching hour.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott. Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. All rights reserved.

References in periodicals archive

The puts are being covered at 22c Tuesday ahead of the expiration Friday and now a new position in May 24th 11.5 puts, which trade 12.8K total today, opened for 17c in anticipation of further losses in shares through the end of next week.

10K VALE May 12

Next earnings 4/20, which is the April monthly expiration Friday in 31 days.

GE calls active as shares fall to 52-week lows

The stock off 17c to $56.27 and 2K Mar - Mar29th 55 put spreads trade for 44c, which likely rolls long puts out two weeks ahead of the expiration Friday. Separately, 1.8K Mar 23rd 54.5 - 56 put spreads trade for 45c and probably rolls long puts up 1.5 strikes.

Bank of New York option volume is 2X daily average and puts lead calls 7:1

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