Learn
Plain-language guides to paper trading, reading an option chain, open interest, IV and PCR, IPO GMP, F&O charges and beginner option strategies, with worked Nifty examples.
Paper trading in India: how to practise options without risking money
Paper trading means placing practice trades with virtual money on real market prices. Here is how it works for Nifty, Bank Nifty and Sensex options, what it can and can't teach you, and how to get the most out of it.
6 min readHow to read an option chain: a Nifty example for beginners
An option chain lists every call and put for one expiry, strike by strike: calls on the left, puts on the right, strike prices in the middle. Here is what each column means and how traders use it.
7 min readOpen interest, implied volatility and PCR explained
Open interest counts the option contracts still open, implied volatility is the size of move the premiums are pricing in, and PCR is put open interest divided by call open interest. Here is what each tells you, and what it doesn't.
6 min readWhat is IPO GMP, and how accurate is it?
IPO GMP (grey market premium) is the unofficial premium over the issue price at which an IPO's shares are traded before they list. Here is how it is used to estimate a listing price, why it changes, and why it is only a guide.
5 min readF&O charges in India: brokerage, STT, GST and stamp duty on options
Every option trade in India pays brokerage, STT on the sell side, exchange transaction charges, a SEBI fee, GST and stamp duty on the buy side. Here are the FY 2026-27 rates and a worked example for one round trip.
5 min readOption strategies for beginners: spreads, straddles and iron condors
A bull call spread caps both risk and reward, a long straddle profits from a big move either way, and an iron condor profits when the index stays in a range. Here is how each works, with maximum profit, maximum loss and breakevens.
8 min read