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Options 101
What Is a Hedge?
A hedge is insurance for a position — you give up a little to protect against a lot. It’s one of the two core uses of options.
NoVo Options Trading · 2026
A hedge is a position taken to offset the risk of another — like buying puts to protect a stock portfolio. It’s one of the two core uses of options (the other being speculation).
What hedging means
Hedging reduces risk by adding an offsetting position. If you own stock and fear a drop, buying puts hedges it — the puts gain if the stock falls, cushioning the loss. You pay a premium (like insurance) and give up a little upside for downside protection. It’s risk reduction, not profit-seeking.
Common options hedges
Protective puts (insurance on a long position), covered calls (income that cushions downside), and delta-neutral hedging (dealers offsetting inventory). The huge scale of institutional hedging demand is part of what creates put skew and drives the dealer hedging flows that build the levels.
A hedge is insurance: pay a little to offset a big risk. It’s why options exist — and why so much protective demand shapes their prices.
The takeaway
A hedge offsets risk with an opposing position — options are a primary hedging tool (protective puts, etc.). It’s distinct from speculation (betting for profit). Understanding hedging explains why institutions buy protection — the demand that drives skew and dealer positioning.
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NoVo is a software tool for market analysis and for executing trades you initiate, not financial advice. This article is general education, not investment advice. Options trading involves substantial risk of loss, up to and including your entire capital. NoVo makes no guarantee of profit, win rate, or performance, and past results do not predict future outcomes. You are responsible for your own broker account, configuration, and trading decisions.