Protective Put
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You own shares of a stock that you believe has good long-term potential, but you are concerned about the potential for a short-term decline in the stock's price. -
You purchase a put option on the stock with a strike price below the current market price of the stock. The put option will give you the right to sell the stock at the strike price, even if the stock's market price falls below the strike price. -
If the stock's price declines, you can exercise your right to sell the stock at the strike price, which will limit your loss to the difference between the strike price and the market price. If the stock's price remains stable or increases, you can let the put option expire without exercising it, and you will keep the premium you paid for the option as profit.