General Queries

What is VAR + ELM? Why is it required for stock options?

VAR + ELM are two types of margin requirements that are collected by the exchange when trading stock options, particularly for option sellers (writers[SR1] ). Here's what they mean:

VAR (Value at Risk)

- What it means: VAR estimates the potential loss in the value of a security or portfolio under normal market conditions over a specified time period and with a certain confidence level

ELM (Extreme Loss Margin)

- What it means: ELM is an additional safety buffer over and above VAR.

- Why it’s needed: It covers rare, extreme market events that VAR might not account for — such as sharp crashes, black swan events, or sudden illiquidity.

- Exchange-mandated: ELM is imposed by exchanges as a safeguard to protect against systemic risk.

When is VAR + ELM applicable?

a. For Buying Options:

Only the  premium amount  is required to be paid.

b. For Selling Options (Call or Put):

You need to maintain the SPAN + Exposure Margin, which includes VAR + ELM, to cover potential losses from writing options. This is to ensure you have enough margin in case the market moves against your position.