Contract specifications

Individual stock derivatives

Index options

Index Options - exercise timetable

Exchange Traded Options
Underlying Security Any share approved by ASX under Guidelines for Listing Equity Options
Security Code The first three characters are the ASX code eg. BHP, the fourth and fifth character are the clearing code which is randomly assigned by the ASX. Some codes will include a sixth numerical character which is a clearing code randomly assigned by ASX.
Contract Size Usually 1,000 shares per contract. This may be adjusted for rights, bonus issues and other capital adjustment events.
Tick Size $0.001 per share = $1.00 (contract size 1000 shares)
Exercise Style Usually American, i.e. exercisable on or before the expiry date.
Exercise Price Generally set by the ACH subject to strike price intervals. Occasionally subject to an adjustment due to a corporate action by the underlying company.
Type Call and put options
Contract Months As detailed in ASX Derivatives Division expiry calendar
Expiry Date Thursday before last Friday of the settlement month. This may change due to public holidays
Trading Hours Normal trading 10.00am to 4.20pm (Sydney time). Late trading 4.20pm to 5.00pm and overseas trading in accordance with the ASX Market Rules
Settlement Physical delivery of underlying security

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Share LEPOs (Low Exercise Price Option)
Contract specifications are identical to Exchange Traded Options, with exception of the below.
Tick size 1 cent
Exercise style European i.e. exercisable only on the last trading before expiry day.
Exercise price 1 cent per share.
Type Call option only.

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XJO Index Options
Underlying Index S&P/ASX 200 Index
Security Codes The first three characters are the ASX code e.g. XJO, the fourth and fifth characters are the clearing code randomly assigned by ASX. Certain codes include a sixth character which is always numeric.
Index Multiplier $10. Each index point is equal to AUD $10.
Tick Size Quoted as the number of points of the index. (Tick size 1.0 point)
Exercise Style European, ie. exercisable only on expiry day.
Exercise Intervals 25 Index points
Type Call and put options
Contract Months March, June, September, December up to six quarter months ahead and serial months up to two non-financial quarter months ahead
Expiry Day The third Thursday of the contract month, unless otherwise specified by ASX.
Last Trading Day Trading will cease at 12 noon on expiry Thursday. 
Trading Hours 6.00am to 5.00pm and 5.30pm to 8.00pm (Sydney time)
Settlement Index options are cash settled using the opening price index calculation on expiry morning. This means trading will continue after the settlement price has been determined.
Settlement Day The first business day following the Last Trading Day

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Index LEPOs (Low Exercise Price Option)
Contract specifications are identical to XJO Index Options, with exception of the below.
Type Call options only

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ASX SPI 200™ Index Options
Contract unit Valued at A$25 per index point (e.g. A$150,000 at 6,000 index points).
Contract months ASX SPI 200™1 index options expire in the same calendar month as the underlying ASX SPI 200™1 index futures contract. Put and Call options available on existing ASX SPI 200™1 index futures contracts.
ASX SPI 200™1 Index Options available four quarter months ahead.
Commodity code AP
Listing date 02/05/2000
Minimum price movement 0.5 index points (A$12.50)
Exercise prices Set at intervals of 25 index points. New option exercise prices created automatically as the underlying futures contract price fluctuates.
Last trading day

The last day of trading of the underlying futures contract.

All trading in expiring contracts ceases at 12.00pm on the Last Trading Day.
Non-expiring contracts will continue to trade as per the stated trading hours.2

Cash settlement price The Cash Settlement Price of the underlying futures contract.
Trading hours 5.10pm – 7.00am and 9.50am – 4.30pm2 (during US daylight saving time)3
5.10pm – 8.00am and 9.50am – 4.30pm2 (during US non daylight saving time)3
Settlement day Options may be exercised on any business day up to and including the Last Trading Day.
Only ‘in-the-money’ options are automatically exercised at expiry, unless abandoned. Upon exercise, the holder will receive an underlying ASX SPI 200™1 index futures contract position at the option strike price.
Position limit None
Daily price limit None
CFTC approved Yes

1. ASX SPI 200™ is a trademark of the Sydney Futures Exchange
2. Unless otherwise indicated, all times are Sydney times.
3. US daylight saving begins second Sunday in March and ends first Sunday in November

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S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index Options (XPJ Index Options)
Underlying index S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index
Security codes The first three characters are the ASX code e.g. XPJ, the fourth and fifth characters are the clearing code randomly assigned by ASX. Certain codes include a sixth character which is always numeric.
Index multiplier $10. Each index point is equal to AUD $10.
Tick size Quoted as the number of points of the index. (Tick size 1.0 point)
Exercise style European, ie. exercisable only on expiry day.
Exercise intervals 25 Index points
Type Call and put options
Contract months March, June, September, December up to four quarter months ahead
Expiry day The third Thursday of the contract month, unless otherwise specified by ASX.
Last trading day Trading will cease at 12 noon on expiry Thursday.
Trading hours 6.00am to 5.00pm and 5.30pm to 8.00pm (Sydney time)
Settlement Index options are cash settled using the opening price index calculation on expiry morning. This means trading will continue after the settlement price has been determined.
Settlement day The first business day following the Last Trading Day

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XFL Index Options
Underlying index S&P/ASX 50 Index
Security codes The first three characters are the ASX code e.g. XFL, the fourth and fifth characters are the clearing code randomly assigned by ASX. Certain codes include a sixth character which is always numeric.
Index multiplier $10. Each index point is equal to AUD $10.
Tick size Quoted as the number of points of the index. (Tick size 1.0 point)
Exercise style European, ie. exercisable only on expiry day.
Exercise intervals 25 Index points
Type Call and put options
Contract months March, June, September, December up to four quarter months ahead
Expiry day The third Thursday of the contract month, unless otherwise specified by ASX.
Last trading day Trading will cease at 12 noon on expiry Thursday.
Trading hours 6.00am to 5.00pm and 5.30pm to 8.00pm (Sydney time)
Settlement Index options are cash settled using the opening price index calculation on expiry morning. This means trading will continue after the settlement price has been determined.
Settlement day The first business day following the Last Trading Day

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Index Options - Exercise Timetable

Event Cash Flow
Last Trading Day Last day to trade the index for that contract month.
E
Expiry 
  • Opening price index calculation
  • No trading for contracts expiring in this contract month after 12 noon
  • Exercise Notices Lodged
  • Cash settled against the above index value.
E+1
Business day following Expiry		 Cash settlement amount paid to Buyers and paid by Sellers of in-the-money options. Margins refunded to seller.

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