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Ticker Symbols for Options
Description
Ticker symbols for options are formed one way for stock and index options, and another way for futures options.
Stock and Index options
These symbols are formed by a combination of the "option root" plus a 1-letter month code plus a 1-letter strike price code. Each symbol for options based on stocks and indices is preceded by a plus (+) sign. Here are some examples of stock option symbols:
- +IBMSQ = Intl. Bus. Machines, July Put, Strike = 85
- +MSQGR = Microsoft, July Call, Strike = 90
- +FFX = Ford Motor, June Call, Strike = 22 1/2
It is also important to note that the option root is never more than 3 characters. Since NASDAQ stocks always have 4- or 5-letter symbols, the stock symbol is not the same as the option root. To create the option root, usually the first two letters of the symbol are used, followed by a Q. Thus, MSFT becomes MSQ, AAPL becomes AAQ, LOTS becomes LOQ.
On the World Wide Web, Quote.com has an interactive tool for determining the option root for stock symbols.
Month Codes for Stocks and Indices
Call Put Month ---- --- ----- A M January B N February C O March D P April E Q May F R June G S July H T August I U September J V October K W November L X December
Strike Price Codes for Stocks and Indices
Note that the same code can represent multiple strike prices. For example, A represents a strike price of 5, 105, or 205 depending on the price of the underlying instrument.
Code Strike Prices ---- -------------- A 5 105 205 B 10 110 210 C 15 115 215 D 20 120 220 E 25 125 225 F 30 130 230 G 35 135 235 H 40 140 240 I 45 145 245 J 50 150 250 K 55 155 255 L 60 160 260 M 65 165 265 N 70 170 270 O 75 175 275 P 80 180 280 Q 85 185 285 R 90 190 290 S 95 195 295 T 100 200 300 U 7.5 37.5 V 12.5 42.5 W 17.5 47.5 X 22.5 52.5 Y 27.5 57.5 Z 32.5 37.5
Option Roots for Some Index Options
- NYA NYSE Composite Index
- RUT Russell 2000 Index
- OEX S&P; 100 Index
- SPX S&P; 500 Index
- MID S&P; MidCap Index
- VLE Value Line Composite Index
- WSX Wishire Small Cap Index
Futures Options
These symbols are usually formed by a combination of the "option root" plus a 1-letter month code plus a 2- or 3-digit number indicating the strike price. Each symbol for options based on futures is preceded by a minus (-) sign. Here are some examples of futures option symbols:
- -TCM09 = Ten-Year U.S. Treasury Note June Call, Strike = 109.0
- -WZN34 = Wheat, July Put, Strike = 340
- -CPM625 = British Pound, June Call, Strike = 1.5625
Month Codes for Options on Futures
Call Put Month ---- --- ----- F A January G B February H C March J D April K E May M I June N L July Q O August U P September V R October X S November Z T December
Option Roots for Some Futures Options
- CP British Pound Calls
- PP British Pound Puts
- WZ Wheat Puts
- WY Wheat Calls
- TC Ten-Year Treasure Note Calls
- TP Ten-Year Treasure Note Calls
Exchanges
Some exchanges do something a little differently from the norm. Here we outline those changes that we know about. These pages also contain comprehensive listings of option and futures root symbols. If you know that we are missing something, please send mail to [email protected] to let us know.
- Commodities Exchange Center, Inc.
- Chicago Mercantile Exchange
- Chicago Board of Trade
- New York Commodities Exchange Center (COMEX)
- New York Mercantile Exchange
More Information
These are the other types of tradeable instruments that Quote.com follows, each with its own naming conventions:
For automatic e-mail service send this to retrieve many of the above:
To: [email protected] Subject: info futures_symbols index_symbols canada_symbols
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