Short put synthetic straddle is a non-directional synthetic option strategy with two legs. It replicates short straddle with a short position in the underlying asset and short put options. Like short straddle, it has unlimited risk and limited profit.
Setup
Short put synthetic straddle is one of two variants of synthetic short straddle (the other is short call synthetic straddle).
It replicates the short straddle strategy by replacing it short call option component with synthetic short call, creating a combination of short underlying position and double size short puts:
Short straddle = short call + short put
Synthetic short straddle = synthetic short call + short put
Synthetic short call = short underlying + short put
Synthetic short straddle = short underlying + 2x short put
Example
For example, we can replicate a 75-strike short straddle with the following transactions:
- Sell short 100 shares of the underlying stock.
- Sell two contracts of 75-strike put options.
The ratio of position sizes is important: For every 100 shares of short stock we need to sell two contracts of put options (assuming one option contract represents 100 shares, as for US traded stock options).
Differences from Short Call Synthetic Straddle
Like with synthetic long straddle, neither variant is better or worse in terms of profit potential and risk (if all the options are fairly priced).
However, the variant with call options uses long underlying position, while the put variant is short the underlying (this is the opposite to synthetic long straddle – the inverse position). This can have implications to ease of trading, cash flow, and dividends.
Related Strategies
- Short call synthetic straddle – the other variant of synthetic short straddle with call options
- Long put synthetic straddle – the inverse position
- Synthetic short call – short underlying + short put
- Synthetic short put – long underlying + short call
- Synthetic short stock – short call + long put