Commit f41ed0

2025-06-14 11:07:44 Viraj Alankar: -/-
finance/investing.md ..
@@ 69,16 69,18 @@
Let's say you wanted to invest in the S&P 500 in a buy and hold fashion. The following are some examples and costs associated:
- 1. 50 shares of SPY @ $590. This might cost $30k, give you $30k exposure in SPY, and provide no leverage.
- 1. 1 90-delta deep in the money LEAPS SPY call option. This might cost $20k, give you $40k exposure in SPY, and provide 2x leverage.
- 1. 1 synthetic LEAPS in SPY (long call option, short put option). This might cost $2k, give you $60k exposure in SPY, and provide 6x leverage.
- 1. 1 /MES future. This might require $2k deposit (it costs nothing), give you $30k exposure in SPY, and provide 15x leverage.
+ | Instrument | Cost | Exposure | Leverage |
+ | ----------------------------------------------- | ---- | -------- | -------- |
+ | 50 shares SPY @ $590 | $30k | $30k | 1x |
+ | 1 90-delta DITM LEAPS SPY call | $20k | $40k | 2x |
+ | 1 synthetic LEAPS in SPY (long call, short put) | $2k | $60k | 6x |
+ | 1 /MES future | $2k | $30k | 15x |
In all cases but the first, you are paying less to have a higher exposure in the same market. Each has a different risk profile. In all cases you can lose money.
- In the 1st case just involves actually owning shares. For the other cases, it is not too important whether you end up with shares or not, as the P/L will be similar to owning the exposed amount shares.
+ Only the 1st case involves actually owning shares. For the other cases, it is not too important whether you end up with shares or not, as the P/L will be similar to owning the exposed amount.
- Calculating the return is more complicated for anything other than the 1st case. If the market moves in your favor, the leveraged instruments will make you much more money than the 1st case. Even though they have expirations, you can continually roll them to future dates to simulate a buy and hold. This requires some active management that the 1st case does not require.
+ Calculating the return is more complicated for anything other than the 1st case. If the market moves in your favor, the leveraged instruments will make you much more money than the 1st case. All but the 1st case have expirations, but you can continually roll them to future dates to simulate a buy and hold. This requires some active management that the 1st case does not require.
## Leverage
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9