Use of options by financial advisers is now commonplace

As financial advisers' use of options becomes more routine, the unsurprising results of a survey showed that advisers managing the most assets are “significantly” more likely to use the derivatives than peers with smaller amounts. Ninety-four percent of advisers overseeing at least $500 million bought or sold equity derivatives in the past year, while 78% of those with $100 million to $500 million made option trades, according to a Bellomy Research Inc. survey of more than 600 U.S. advisers for the Options Industry Council. That compares with 48% of advisers with $50 million to $100 million, and 36% managing less than $50 million. “Advisers started to understand that they couldn't hide under their desks in 2009 and that they needed to start bringing more valuable ideas, and that started to open up the floodgates,” Eric Cott, OIC's director of financial adviser education, said at the OIC conference in Savannah, Ga. “That timing could not have been better for us to be out in the field talking to advisers.” added Mr. Cott, a former financial adviser. The industry group, backed by the U.S. options exchanges, introduced an education program in 2009 to instruct financial advisers on how to use equity derivatives. Advisers increasing their use of options helped boost U.S. volume 8% last year to 3.9 billion contracts — an eighth-straight annual record, according to the OIC. Trading in March rose to a monthly record of 417.2 million contracts as stocks plunged after Japan's earthquake and tsunami. “Options usage among advisers is responding to the current market conditions, as well as a shift in client attitudes,” according to an OIC report. “Clients are asking for ways to avoid the losses of the past few years again and enhance their returns in the current up market.”